Infection
by Rurouni Tyriel
Summary: (COMPLETED) A terrible plague has gripped Bayville, and seems to have hit the mutants at the Xavier Institute especially hard. Will they be able to find a cure in time, before things become even worse?
1. I

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own X-Men Evolution, though I wish I did.

**Summary:**

A terrible plague grips Bayville, that sweeps through the mutant population.  Panic escalates from the quarantined citizens of the peaceful city as the X-Men seek a cure and an explanation on the origins of the epidemic.  And all the while, the number of sick continue to grow.  Takes place after "Ascension, II" and is also a sequel to my other stories "Nullification" and "Weapon X24."  Minor references to just about every other story I've written, but recommend reading of those two to understand plot elements.

It was quiet that day.  Snow covered the ground, nearly a foot high in some places.  There was little doubt in the students minds that school had been cancelled for the day.

As such, most of them slept in.

The younger students didn't, determined to enjoy the snow while it lasted, and grabbed their snow boots and heavy jackets, heading out (or in Rahne's case) bounding out into the snow, there then began a winter tradition.  One that was observed at least once every winter at the Xavier Institute, after it snowed.

Mutant snowball fight.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was around noon when the snowball fight ended, Bobby of course the winner by technical avalanche.  Thus it was that Ororo watched the students come in, practically drowning in snow that was quickly melting.  Thus she quickly advised them to leave their wet boots in the foyer before they tracked snow all over the nice clean Institute.  No sense in giving them more work to do later.

Amara was the only exception.  A quick flame up and she was dry, as well as her clothes.  So it was that the dark-haired islander made her way to the women's bathroom to enjoy a nice, hot shower.  Hot water was always enjoyable, especially after being out in the cold.  She could not understand how native New Yorkers survived it every year.

"Ah, what a wonderful day," she sighed blissfully, as the hot water washed over her.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What a miserable day," grumbled Logan to himself, trying his absolute best to maintain his composure.  It was becoming more and more difficult as the kids kept running up and down the hallways, laughing, talking, or listening to music at high volumes.  Living with teenagers was usually bad enough, but to have to deal with them on non-school days was something even Logan didn't enjoy.

Thus, only one thing the dark-haired man could do.  He tossed down his newspaper onto the counter and marched down the stairs to Xavier's office, entering without even bothering to knock.

"Something troubling you Logan?" asked Xavier, folding the book he'd been reading.  He marked his place with one finger as he turned his chair to regard the gruff Wolverine.  He was, to say the least, unhappy looking.  And his thoughts were projecting.

"I'm goin' on a trip.  Got, uh... things to do," he stated.

Any student or resident at the Xavier Institute could very easily tell you it isn't easy to fool a telepath.  Jean it was easier with, thought her gift still made it very hard to surprise her for her birthday and other such events.  But Xavier, who's mental powers were so greatly advanced, could sense surface thoughts from people just by being near them, without actually going into heir minds (something he never did without permission or with no other choice).  Thus, he could easily tell what 'things' Logan was going to do.

Xavier nodded, and Logan didn't bother wasting another moment.  Never mind that there was ice on the roads and there was a travel warning, he grabbed his bike, donned his helmet, and all but rocketed out of the Institute and on to the horizon.  He'd been in worse weather.  After all, he lived in Canada for a while at least (or at least as far as he could remember) and they had winters that made New York look like the Bahamas at this time of year.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt grumbled, finally tearing the covers off his head, but it was only so he could breath more easily.  Being sick, he decided, was no fun.  Not that he'd ever been sick much in his life, but when he was, it hit him hard and fast and generally hung around for a while.

Grumbling he slipped out of bed, changed his clothes and made his way downstairs for a late breakfast.  No, he decided, after checking the time.  An early lunch.

"Ewww, Kurt!  You're trailing fur all over the place!"

"Arrgghh Kitty," grimaced Kurt, clutching his sore head.  He felt like his skull was going to split open, it ached so much.  And a certain whiney, high-pitched voice not even a full meter from his sensitive ears wasn't helping.  Coupled with his stuffy nose and lethargy, he felt close to half-dead.  "Not so loud, I'm like less than three feet from you."

"Oh sorry Kurt," she said, as she finally got a good look at him.  "You alright?"

"Not really... but I should be good.  Just need some calories..." he said, then muffled a cough behind his three-fingered hand.

"Need some Excedrin?" she asked, as always eager to help.

"Ja, if its not too much trouble."

"I'll meet you in the kitchen," Kitty replied, immediately placing her arms behind her back and phasing through the floor, vanishing from sight.  Kurt smiled, then grimaced as another cough seized him.  He definitely hated being sick.  Still, not much he could do about it but get some food, get some medicine, and get some rest.  At least he wasn't missing school.

Though, he thought, he wouldn't have been complaining if he was.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elsewhere in Bayville, at the Brotherhood Boarding house, the five mutant delinquents known as the Brotherhood lounged around their home, lazily finding way to amuse themselves whilst being snowed in.  This mostly consisted of Fred and Pietro gathered around the television.  With the new funds Magneto was sending them, they now enjoyed cable TV and all the wonders it brought with it.  Lance was upstairs, working in his room on his guitar.  He'd been given the day off from his regular job and was doing his best to enjoy. 

Wanda was, to the disbelief of her housemates, outside, making snow angels.  And of course wherever Wanda went, so there would be found Todd, though for once the slimy green boy was keeping out of his baby cakes way, watching her instead from a nearby tree branch.

A cold gripped the long-tongued mutant known as the Toad (and a number of other names not nearly as pleasant) and he coughed gently, quickly muffling it so as not to disrupt the peaceful scene beneath him.  Just the winter air, he decided.  Afterwards he'd head in and warm up.  Must be part of his mutation, being susceptible to cold and what not.  Todd had never claimed to be much of a scientist or even a good student, but he had taken a particular interest in frogs and amphibians, ever since Mystique had recruited him and told him what he was.

Another cough seized him, but it passed quickly, and he paid it no mind.  He had more interest in his raven-haired angel, drawing her wings in the ivory snow.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day passed on with little excitement.  Being snowed in quickly grew boring as most of the younger students clustered in the living room to watch the television and hope they could find something they could all agree on watching.  Thus far, no luck.  To make matters worse, food in the fridge and pantry were all but gone, save enough for dinner.  And growing teenagers need their food.  Nowhere was this more true with growing _mutant_ teenagers.

Kurt had retired again to bed after his late lunch, and after Kitty had been kind enough to provide him with some medication for his cold.  As it was, Sam was also sick, and the Kentucky farm boy (as he was affectionately known) hadn't even bothered to get out of bed.  Then again, Kurt might not have earlier if he'd not been so hungry.  His hyper-active metabolism really was a pain to live with sometimes.  Then again, Kitty was still dead-jealous of his ability to all but inhale food and not gain an ounce.

"I certainly hope no one plans on catching this cold themselves tomorrow," said Ororo, as she stepped into the living room, drawing everyone's attention.  "The board says the roads will be clear, so that means school.  No excuses," she stated, hands on her hips, in the most stern voice she could do.  Which really wasn't all that stern, but most of the kids got her message anyway.

Just in case, Ororo would ask Logan to make sure when he got back.  Provided it was before tomorrow, of course.  He'd been known for taking longer and longer trips away from the Institute these days.  Said he needed space away from the kids.

Ororo walked briskly down the hallways back towards the kitchen to finish working on dinner.  Rahne was already there, as tonight was her turn to assist the white-haired matron of the Xavier Institute with cooking.  It was a rotational system with the chores of the house, though additional tasks were placed on those who broke the rules.  No one had, at least nothing major, ever since the Joyriding incident way back when Lance had left the X-Men.

"Hi Miss Munroe," said Rahne, with typical cheerfulness as she sat in a nearby chair backwards, arms resting on the backrest.  "Waters just started to boil.  What's next?"

"Dice up some carrots for me if you would," replied Ororo, making her way to check the water and lower the temperature.

"Sure thing!" said Rahne with a flip of her two short ponytails.  She all but leapt into the task with the same enthusiasm she showed in every aspect of her life.  Ororo smiled, chuckling to herself.  Only Kurt was more energetic than Rahne, and then only by a little.  Well, and maybe Quicksilver, but that boy never put his energy to good use.  At least, not that Ororo had ever seen, and since he'd been Evan's friend since childhood, she knew him better than most.

As always, the thought of Evan made her eyes water, but she told herself it was only the steam from the boiling pot.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the day winded down, the students were disappointed to see no more snow was falling in the night sky.  Thus it was that they were forced to bed at the regular curfew time by their well meaning guardians Hank, Ororo and Xavier.  Thought it was a welcome change from Logan walking in, popping an adamantium claw and saying 'Bed.  Now.'

And so it was the students headed to their individual rooms, changed into the pajamas and night clothes, and lay down to rest as the lights winked off one by one.  The utter silence of the night was broken only by the sounds of coughing from those still sick.

Coughing that, through the night, seemed only to grow worse...

**Author's Notes:**

And so, at long last, a sequel story.  Primarily a sequel to Nullification, but also mentions most of my other stories prior to this, as well as episodes from the Evo series (which is now cancelled, darn).  Ah well, up to me and the other fanfiction writers to pick up the slack.  Now that my personal stay-within-the-episode restrictions have been lifted, expect more canon characters and wonderful plots to slowly and tastefully emerge into my stories.  I suspect Psylocke will be first, but we'll see.  As for this particular story, any guesses on my choice of title?  Come on now, my X-Men fans, you can figure it out, you're smart.  Two words.  Two simple words.  Initials of L.V.  Come on, I'm all but handing the plot away to you!

As always, reviews welcome and appreciated.  Flames will be used to clear the snow from my driveway on cold mornings.  Anyone who sues me for using Evo characters will not walk away with more than my entire life savings.  Which is a measly five piestas.


	2. II

The next morning came far too early, as far as the students were concerned.  All of them clung to their pillows and blankets, begging whatever divine beings they thought might listen to have storm clouds roll in and blanket the ground with snow for at least the next six years.

No such luck.

Thus it was that the grumbling kids found themselves either hauled out of bed under their own power or given a gentle but still unsettling flash rainstorm above their heads to convince them to prepare for another day at school.  They grabbed their packs, gulped down their breakfast, and made their way out the door in the typical disorganized manner normally only seen on a Monday morning.  They were just thankful Logan hadn't sprung a 'surprise Danger Room session' on them.  He had a knack for doing it at four am or earlier.  A time that most of the New Recruits hadn't even known existed, before coming to the Institute.

Kurt and Sam were still in bed, and Ororo visited them both with some orange juice and some more medicine, since they both were starting to look positively dreadful.  Jamie was also sick, and Ororo had found him curled up in his covers, shivering and coughing.  She decided to report this to Professor X.  Something was seriously wrong.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kids needed to get to school.  And the Institute needed food.

They flipped, Scott called tails.  He always called tails.

He lost.

Jean took her SUV to the nearby Food Lion, the windows rolled up and the heater on to keep her warm in the chill air of early February.  She had the list, though it was almost the length of her arm.  She wondered sometimes if Scott got the easy deal taking the kids instead of dealing with groceries.  Ah well.

Thus it was that Jean Grey, arguably one of the most powerful telepathic mutants on the face of the earth, was pushing a shopping cart down between aisles and loading it up with all manner of foodstuffs.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kids needed to get to school.  And the Institute needed food.

Jean flipped the coin and Scott called tails, like he always did.

He lost.

Thus it was that Scott found himself in a crowded red convertible, transporting Roberto, Ray, Amara and Tabitha to school in the backseat, as well as Jubes in the front with him.  The rest were riding with Kitty in her new forester.  She'd gotten it at the start of the school year, after finally managing to pass the drivers test on her third try.  Needless to say, no one was still particularly eager to drive with her.

"Hey Scott switch the station... this is depressing," remarked Tabby, reaching forward over the seat and taking her own advice, flipping around until she could locate something she liked.

"Hey Tabby sit down!" he shouted over his shoulder at her, trying to concentrate on the road.  "And put your seat belt on!"

"Yes, sir," she said with a mock salute.  "I'd love to sir, but as you can clearly see, there isn't one.  I've had to sit in Amara's lap the last five trips."

"Not like you were complaining," remarked Roberto, leaning against the window and watching the cars pass by.

"Awwww, is cutsie Sunspot jealous?" asked Tabby with a mock pout.

"Just sit down," said Scott back at her, knowing it was useless to argue with Tabby about this.  He rubbed his forehead in frustration as they came to a red light.  He just wanted to drop off the little hellions at Bayville High and leave.  He'd come back for them in the afternoon.  Why on earth, he sometimes wondered, couldn't they just take the bus?

Because the bus was full of anti-mutant bigots and general pain-in-the-rear-ends, said a voice in the back of his mind.  So until humanity learned to accepts us (doubtful) they're riding with either you or Jean.  Wonderful, he thought.  And double wonderful, he grumbled in his mind.  Now I'm talking to myself.  I must be going crazy.

So it was that Scott drew his car up the front of Bayville High and unloaded his passengers, all but speeding off as soon as possible.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

School was quieter this year than it had been the previous year, since Rogue and Lance had graduated.  Kelly had officially moved into the office of the Mayor of Bayville, and the school board had replaced him with a slightly quieter, less active individual.  He made no trouble for the mutants in his school, though he also did not go out of his way to protect the mutants from harassing students or troublesome teachers.

Kitty was enjoying her new life as a senior, since she'd taken some extra courses over the summer and intended to graduate this year, be done with High school as soon as possible.  She wasn't entirely sure what to do after school, none of the Xavier Institute students had been, but worst case scenario she figured she could become an assistant teacher at the Institute like Jean, Scott, and now Rogue.

Ray Crisp made his way down the halls, his face in a permanent glare-mode he always adopted when he was in public.  That and his body posture tended to keep people away.  He didn't want trouble, his stance seemed to say.  So don't mess with me.

However, as he opened his locker all his self-righteous dignity faded as he reached his locker.  It was partially ajar, and he recalled very distinctly he'd shut it hard last time he was there.  Frustration about some frickin' test or other he'd failed.  Oh damn, not again, he thought, opening the locker... and was sent hurling back, waving away the foul stench that had accumulated within.

"Aww bloody son of a..." he cursed profanely, waving the air to try and dissipate the stench a little.  No such luck.  Reluctantly he peered into his locker, hoping against hope that it was salvageable.  No such luck.  It was an utter mess.  Some really sick bastard had certainly gone out of their way to target him, and the paper stuck to the inside of his locker door spelled it out for him.  Angrily he ripped it off, reading it aloud.

"Get Lost, Mutant," he hissed out.  Then crumbled the paper and angrily threw it into the nearest garbage can.  Not surprisingly he lost, further souring his mood.

One day he was going to live up to his name and go postal on Bayville High.

For today, he swallowed his anger, storing it away for his next Danger Room session, and went to class.  His locker was unsalvageable, and thus he'd have to carry all his heavy books all day.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Xavier Institute, things were to say the least quiet.  Only the occasional cough from the sick students broke the noise.  Ororo was upstairs, watering her plants, Hank McCoy was down in the lab.  And Professor Charles Xavier found himself enjoying the relative peace and quiet of his study.

Now if only he could rid himself of this oh-so-troubling headache that seemed to be plaguing him all morning.  He had taken medication, and even avoided using Cerebro today (as was his custom, at least once a day to update the mutant profiles) but it refused to go away.

"Perhaps I'll retire early today," he stated, finishing his latest work and filing it away on the laptop on his desk.  Then he shut it down and wheeled out of the room.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amara was a good student.  She was an eager student.  Since she'd left Nova Roma, she'd been determined to learn as much as she could about the modern world, its sciences, its fine arts and its technologies.  But there was one class she simply loathed with a vengeance that rivaled that of one of Ares' grudges.

Gym class.

And today, after changing into her gym shorts and shirt uniform, Amara found out it got worse.  She and her fellow Bayville students were doomed to a game of friendly dodge ball.  Normal friendly, at least.

Predictably, Amara and Roberto (the only other Institute kid present) were placed onto the teams last, after their captain's choices.  And this was -after- the fat kids, kids with asthma, kids with glasses, and anyone else labeled an outcast by the general population of the school.  Before being exposed, Amara and Roberto, both very active students, would've been the first two snapped up.  Now, of course, things had changed.  And it was dodge ball.  Which meant in all likelihood that Amara and Roberto, the mutants, would be walking home with a whole lot of bruises from balls being thrown 'accidentally' too hard.

As if being sick wasn't bad enough.

Stifling her coughs, sure her teammates would be even more annoyed if they thought she was sick with 'mutie germs,' Amara took up position towards the back of her teams half of the gym.  She wanted to keep out of the way if possible, let the others do the work.  Anything she did might be blamed on her powers, so better not do anything at all.  Most of the other Institute kids practiced similar techniques.  She'd even heard that Jean, during her last year at school, hadn't bothered to answer questions because some kids had claimed she was reading the teacher's mind.

"Jerks," she muttered, quietly cursing them in her native language.

"And... begin!" shouted their teacher, blowing her whistle.

Dodge balls immediately began to fly.

She was going pretty well, all things considered.  Amara wasn't the most physical member of the Institute, but no one was much of a slacker when you had a daily routine of Danger Room sessions.  Thus, she found little difficulty in dodging the rubber balls that went more of than not hurling in her direction, determined to bring her down.

She caught one such ball and passed it to Jarod, one of the kids on her team.  He seemed a bit surprised, but took a shot, bringing down Roberto.  With a dejected sigh he made his way to the bleachers with those others who'd been cut down.  Amara mouthed a 'sorry' to him as he did, but he shrugged nonchalantly.

Suddenly a coughing fit seized Amara, and despite her best intentions to muffle it, there seemed to be no end.  She felt like she was choking.  Suddenly a pounding came on her back.  She looked up, and dimly recognized through tear-filled eyes that it was the teacher, Mrs. Fry.

"Aquilla, you alright?" she asked when Amara's coughing had stopped.  She didn't look overly concerned, but Amara knew she wasn't totally heartless.  She'd helped her, at least.

"Fine, just..." and she coughed again, stifling it before adding "Not feeling too well."

"Head to the Nurse's office," ordered Mrs. Fry.  "DeCosta!  You go with her!"

"Sure thing teach!" said Roberto, all but leaping up to escort Amara out.

Thankfully the coughing had passed, but she still felt downright miserable.  She felt hotter too... like she was burning up.  She checked her hands quickly, making sure she hadn't subconsciously switched to her magma form, but she hadn't.

Behind the closed doors, in the gym, the game continued.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Food Lion, Jean had finally managed to accumulate the appropriate foodstuffs, though her cart was now filled to overflowing.  And she was just downright exhausted.  Dimly she placed her hand against her forehead, alarmed to note she was burning up.  Must've caught whatever Kurt had, she thought dimly.

Not trusting herself to lift and manage all the food on the self check-out counters that were rapidly becoming a part of the food story industry, Jean elected to get help from one of the regular check-out lanes.  Even if it would mean dealing with overly perky or downright grumpy cashiers and more tabloids and weird mutations worldwide.

"Huh... never would've guessed that Michael Jackson could be a mutant," remarked Jean with fake curiosity, browsing one of the many titles as she unloaded her purchases onto the conveyer belt, allowing her cashier, a short, matronly woman, to check them out and bag them.

"Oh these mutants, everywhere they seem to be sometimes," she stated, checking the price tag on some canned soup.  "Could be anyone these days.  You, me, everybody.  Who cares, I say," she added with a final flourish, finishing off Jean's purchases and placing them into the bags.

Jean fished into her wallet, pulling out her credit card.  Xavier had issued one to her, Scott and Rogue upon their completion of high school, though he had suggested they not tell their fellow students about them.  Jean had seen the wisdom in his decision, and handled her newfound responsibility maturely.

As she swiped the card a brief wave of disiness overcame her, and she clutched her head gently, even as the machine beeped at her.

"You alright, dearie?" asked the cashier.

"Yeah sure, fine..." replied Jean, smiling wanly.  "Just, uh, finished," she added, tapping in the final code and paying for everything, then putting her card away.

"I can send someone with you if you need help carrying things," she added, smiling gently.

"No thank you," replied Jean, equally courteous.  It would not do to offend the old lady, she was just being nice after all.  But Jean could manage.  "I'll be fine."

"Have a nice day then."

Jean managed to push the shopping cart out of the store and to her SUV, though she nearly dented it when her vision blurred and her body stumbled.  Grimacing through the sudden lethargy she found herself wrapped in, she opened the door to the driver's side, sliding into the seat and lying down.  She tilted her head back, eyes closed, and damn near passed out.  Gently, conscious of her breathing, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, auto-dialing a number she knew by heart.

"Yes, Jean?" came Xavier's voice, on the other line.

"Xavier, something's wrong... I need pick-up.  I'm at... at the grocery store," she said, breathing heavily.

"Stay put Jean," replied Xavier, without even thinking.  He trusted her completely, after all.  "I'll send Ororo to pick you up."

"Thanks," she said, turning off the cell-phone and letting it fall from her nerveless fingers to the passenger's side seat.  A cough gripped her, making her head throb with pain, as she lay back and tried to wait until Ororo arrived.

She hoped it would be soon. 

**Author's Notes:**

And it begins to spread.  Gradual build-up being my specialty, of course, so I'll keep teasing you with glimpses of what you're dealing with.  I leave it all to you to determine what you think is going on.  For clarification, this is one year after the end of Ascension, middle of February.  Thus, Scott, Jean and Rogue have all graduated from Bayville High, all the other students still go there (except Jamie, who's still home schooled for now).  Amara Aquilla is, in the comics-verse, a royal from the somewhat primitive lands of Nova Roma, a colony of the Roman Empire or some such.  I can never find exact details, so I prefer to leave any references to it vague.  I am so sorry I poked fun at Michael Jackson but I simply couldn't resist.  Those tabloids are ridiculous though, aren't they?

Todd fan: Too obvious was I?  Darn.  Ah well, live and learn.  Don't worry Todd fan, I'll include all your favorite characters, just like way back in Nullification. *tips over your seat*

Faith Darkholme: I know, I should buy the rights to XME and write episodes for season five myself!  Only, who would draw the characters?  Darn.  Ah well, more for you to enjoy soon to come, as always.

Elrohirthewriter: Okay, definitely toning down my hints from blatant to more mysterious.  And its decimate, but yes you've got the general idea of what's to come.  Sinister, eh?  Oooh, you wanna see Sinister?  Maybe Stryfe too?  And Ilyana and Pyro and maybe Colossus all sick. 

Snitter in Rivendell: Well glad you like it enough to put it on the list.  Plenty more to come that will make you feel your choice was a good one.  I like that snow angels thing myself.  Because its just not something you'd expect Wanda to do!  Hehehehe.

Foxglove33: Well glad you like it so much, and especially the Todd/Wanda scene I added in.  Their house isn't all that bad though these days, they did have it fixed up during their brief status as heroes.  More to come, hope you like the rest.

Sandoz: You like my work!  I must be doing good if someone as talented as you likes it.  Trust me, you'll like even more what I do with your favorite characters.  Well, then again... maybe you won't.  Maybe I'll be mean to them.  Muwahahahahaha!

The Rogue Witch: You'll just have to wait and see.  And although, like Marvel, I'm not big on killing people... you never know.  I never did like Gambit, after all... As for the plot, you'll see soon enough.

Kiki Cabou: Certainly more, oh cutely named one.  Plenty more of all your fav characters, 'specially Kurt. 

Abaiisiia: Bitte, Fraulein.  Nah, Rogue's better than any Romy.  But of course more of our favorite goth girl!  She will show up soon enough, believe you me.  Just gotta build things up first.

Aro: Wonderful news, you'll likely understand and/or recognize elements of my story Nullification in this.  Enjoy.

Comet-hime: Alright, Comet-hime!  I will write many much more, as you request.  In exchange for your pretty piccies.  You know ho much I love them so.

Rogue14: Certainly, as you wish.  You keep writing more as well for your wonderful 'When you Wish up a Devil' story.  Scott/Rogue Forever!

Nessie6: That's it, I am definently giving out less hints in the future!  Of course Pyro will show up.  I love the little psycho.  Enjoy what is to come and hopefully my other stories as well.


	3. III

Logan had taken the long route home.  With good weather and light traffic he would arrive back early afternoon.  Just in time for his favorite activity.  Danger Room training.

He'd stopped off at a local bar for a drink and a chance to unwind, parking his red motorcycle outside.  It was a quiet place, just off the road, with few customers just passing by on long trips.  No problems with him.  He liked it quiet while he drank.

"What can I get you sir?" asked the bartender, cleaning out one of the glass mugs with a cloth as he addressed his latest customer.

"Whatever you got on tap," replied Logan, sitting down on a stool.  Idly he reached out and grabbed some of the free peanuts.  Last time he'd eaten had been yesterday morning, after all.  Not that he cared overly, he could go days without food if he really wanted to.  Still, once he got back to the Institute he fully intended to indulge himself in Ororo's wonderful homemade cooking.

His drink arrived, and Logan swallowed the whole thing in one swig, immediately asking for another as he wiped the back of his mouth with his hand.

Suddenly Logan's instincts warned him of danger.  Frowning, he stretched out with his senses.  Sight, hearing, smell.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.  But Logan listened to his instincts.  They'd pulled his bacon out of the fire more times than he could recall, and this seemed like another one of those times.

He slid out of his seat, his head moving from left to right like a lighthouse tower, searching, looking.  Now he recognized this place.  He'd been here before, with Creed of all people.  No regular customers, just two truckers in the corner.  Nothing dangerous there.  The bartender had a shotgun under the bar, Logan could smell the gun powder, but he wasn't a threat.  Neither were the barmaids.  Unless you counted the redheaded one who kept giving Logan a once-over.

Grumbling, Logan slapped down a twenty and grabbed his jacket, making his way outside.  Perhaps whatever he sensed was out there.  Let's see.  Two big tankers, two cars and a motorcycle, plus his own.  That accounts for everyone inside.  And... a black van?  Logan's instincts went into the mental equivalent to Defcon four as his adamantium claws shot from between his knuckles.  His eyes darted, searching.  He caught their scent now.  Humans, nobody he recognized.  Mixture of sweat and leather that usually he only came into contact to from either swat teams, policemen, or soldiers.  Wonderful.

He only narrowly managed to avoid the first projectile, leaping forward and rolling.  The second hit him in the arm, but he barely paid it any attention as he leapt to his feet and caught sight of his first opponent.  Dressed all in black, definitely swat team or the equivalent.  And professional, from the way he held his weapon.  Not that it matter much when Wolverine sliced clean through it and slammed his adamantium-plated bone elbow right into his face, sending him reeling to the ground.

Growling, he glanced around for others, reaching over to tear whatever was stuck in his arm out.  Some sort of dart, and he didn't need his super sensitive smell to know it'd been poisoned.  Something powerful, he realized, as his vision blurred.  These guys knew who he was, and what he was capable of.  Just great.

"You're not gonna take me down that easily!" he shouted, as two more made their way out from behind the building.  They were trying to circle him, and he could tell more had just piled out of the van.  Great, he thought.

Wolverine sprang at the first two, slicing through their weapons like a hot knife through butter as darts whizzed clear over his head.  He sheathed his claws, slamming both his fists into the two soldiers and sending them to the ground, clutching their injured stomachs.

That was roughly when the taser hit him, full force, in the back.  Two lines snapped off, and he didn't have enough time to dodge.  Electricity ripped through his short frame, but to his credit Logan didn't scream.  He'd felt worse.  But between the electricity and the knock-out poisons, it was enough to do him in, and he fell forward onto his knees.  One of the soldiers rushed up, and something thick and metallic slammed into the back of his neck.  Star swirled in his vision, and he blacked out...

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at Bayville High, things were progressing less than well for the students of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  Lunch had finally rolled around, but Amara had been sent home with Scott, coughing and hacking all the way.  Roberto had gone back to his additional classes, then met up again with his friends in the food court.

Because of the inclement weather, cold enough to freeze water and slippery ground from all the melted snow, most of the students were inside in the cafeteria, keeping warm and dry.  The mutant students were not so fortunate.  Due to 'limited space' they were on the whole forced to zip up their coats, grab their gloves and earmuffs, and head outside with their lunches.

Thus it was that Roberto broke out his bag lunch and grabbed an apple, munching into it with vigor as he sat down with his housemates.

"How's it hangin' Roberto?" asked Tabitha, shivering in her flaming pink jacket, her blond locks poking out from behind the dark purple earmuffs wrapped around her head.

"I've had better days," replied Roberto, tilting his head back.  He wasn't as cold as his other teammates though.  The clouds had dispersed earlier in the day, and the sun now shone down on them, and more importantly, him.  Sweet blessed rays with the energy he craved, finishing off his apple and tossing it into a nearby trash can with flourish.

He and Bobby were the only ones who weren't cold.  Amara wouldn't have been either, had she been around and managed to conjure even the smallest of hand-held flames to warm everyone.  As it was, they were left so shiver.

"Cute," remarked Jubes on Roberto's toss, shivering in her yellow jacket and no doubt envying the others for keeping warm.  And, she thought with a cough, healthy.  Still, too late in the day to call sick now.  Plus she had that test next period in History, and she desperately needed a good grade.

"So Amara went home?" asked Tabby, directing her question to Roberto.  She was concerned after all.  And not just because Amara could've warmed her up.

"Yeah, went home sick,"

"Wish I could do the same," mumbled Jubilee, taking in a deep breath and tilting her head up... but it was too late.

ACH-CHOO!

"Gesuhntite," Kitty deadpanned.  Long years of living with Kurt had given her more than a few words of German to her repertoire.

"Thank you," replied Jubes, taking the offered handkerchief from Bobby and using it to blow her nose.  She hated being sick, she hated being cold, and she hated being at school!

Life sucked, sometimes.

"Hey guys?" came a voice, causing all the occupants of the 'mutant table' to turn and see who had come to join them.

To their surprise it was Amanda.

Amanda was a regular at the table, on those days when she and Kurt decided to sit amongst them, as opposed to finding a quiet spot to be alone together.  However, to see her there without Kurt was a bit of a surprise.  Not that any of the students didn't like her or anything.  Since she was the only regular student who actually took time to speak to them as equals, she was viewed as only slightly less than a saint by the oppressed mutant students.

"Hey guys, what's up?" she asked, hands in the pockets of her thick winter coat.

"Not much," replied Rahne.

"Is Kurt alright?" asked Amanda.  "I didn't see him in class today."

"Nah he's at home sick," said Bobby, finishing off his can and handing it to Roberto, who crushed it against his head while Bobby and Ray watched, laughing.  It was their way of passing the time.  The girls rolled their eyes at such barbaric behavior.

"Nothing serious I hope."

"Nah, blue boy'll be up and bouncing off walls again in no time," stated Tabby with a nonchalant wave of her hand.

"Thanks you guys.  I'll see you later," replied Amanda gratefully.  She smiled and waved, making her way back inside where it was warm.

Finally the warning bell rang and lunch ended.  The students dispersed to their classes, tossing out their trash and grabbing their books, prepared to finish off their last two days before the weekend.  Just one more day left, grumbled Jubes, as she lugged her pack to her last two classes.  She sneezed again, thankful she'd grabbed a napkin from the cafeteria before leading.  It wasn't as soft, but it served its purpose.

She just hope she could keep herself from collapsing long enough to take the stupid test.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Senses slowly returned to Logan as he faded out of the black abyss, returning to consciousness.  And he could tell immediately it was in very, very big trouble.  His skull ached like someone had taken a jackhammer to it and tried to bore through the adamantium underneath.  Instinctively he tried to reach up and massage his temples, but for some reason his hands refused to cooperate.

"Finally awake?  Took you long enough," came an irritated voice somewhere to his left.  Logan risked opening his eyes and turned his head to see who it was.

It was X23.

X23, or Sarah Howlett as she'd been known at the Institute during her brief stay, stood before Logan, though something about her seemed... wrong.  Her arms were shackled against her chest, her fists pointed towards her neck.  The only way she could use her claws would be if she was willing to slice off her own head in the process.  Otherwise she appeared unharmed, though she looked anger enough.  But something was very wrong.  Something about her hair...

And then Logan realized it.  Her hair was falling up.  No, not up.  She was upside down, and that meant... Logan stifled a groan as he felt blood rush to his head, already making his aching skull feel that much worse.

"Wonderful way to wake up, I know," she grumbled.

"What the...?"

"Don't know where, don't know who, don't know why," she replied, before he finished his question.  Grunting, she squirmed against her bonds, but they seemed to have been wrapped around her pretty tight.  Almost custom made metal casing designed for her slight frame.  And an identical one for Logan's, now that he peered down (or rather, up) and saw it.  He and X23 were suspended from the ceiling by metal chains near a walkway.  Below them... a bottomless black abyss, near as Logan could see.

"Wonderful.  How long have I been here?" he asked, testing his bonds.  Gently, for now.  He was still recovering his strength, and he didn't think the poison was out of his system just yet.  He may be tough and a regenerator, but he wasn't invincible by a long shot.

"About six hours," replied X23, eyes closed, face calm.  She was resting, conserving energy.  "He's still out, but he arrived about two hours after you did," she added, jerking her head gently in the direction just past her.

Logan lifted his head, peering over and past X23 to see who she meant.  When he did finally see who was with them, he stifled a groan.

Their cellmate was also hung upside down, though his wrists were shackled to his back instead of across his chest like X23 and Wolverine.  His dirty blonde hair fell much like much like X23's, and his trenchcoat was gone, though everything else he wore looked like it'd been shredded or burnt to a crisp.  He didn't look injured, but like X23 and Wolverine, that didn't mean a damn thing since he would've had enough time to heal mere flesh wounds.

Great, thought Wolverine.  Who the hell invited Sabertooth to this little reunion?

**Author's Notes:**

And so the plot thickens.  Wolverine's been captured, along with Sabertooth and X23.  And soon their mysterious captors will be made apparent.  Is it coincidence, or is it part of something larger?  The bar that Logan stopped by at was, of course, the same one from 'Weapon X24.'  Though that scene in the parking lot I actually got the idea from an almost identical scene from TAS.  Specifically, a memory from 'Weapon X, Lies, and Videotape.'  X23's name is of course, also a reference to 'Weapon X24.'  The arm restrains were modeled after those used on Logan (Mystique, really) in 'X2: X-Men United.'  You see?  My ideas come from simply everywhere.  Frequent updates are officially over because of exams coming up, but they'll still come on a semi-regular frequency.

Todd fan: Hehehe, it certainly would.  And between you and me, I think maybe David Blaine might be a mutant too.  Maybe its Mastermind in disguise!  Hehehehehe.  *helps you back into your chair*

Rogue14: I noticed, which is why I commented on it.  I'm a big Scogue fan, so don't disappoint me here.  Or, or, or... I'll do something not nice!

Snitter in Rivendell: Ah, curse my scatterbrained mind.  Yet another mistake I thought I'd corrected.  Many thanks for pointing it out.  As for casting thoughts you had: No, yes, yes.  And the no has a replacement of sorts.  And yes I liked that little idea for Scott.  I identify so much with his character, he's so very easy to write.

Elrohirthewriter: I said Scott always picked tails, not that he always lost.  But does kinda make you wonder with Jean, doesn't it?  I mean, she did all but throw him to the lions when he took Kitty driving.

Sandoz: Unfortunately you're probably right, you were pretty darn mean to them, even if your story still had a happy and fitting end.  And yeah I know, don't worry, I'm cutting off the sick now, going to go more gradually now that they're taking precautions so they can combat what's behind all this.

The Rogue Witch: Arrrrgh, you're absolutely right, how foolish of me.  Damn those stupid Greek Gods changing names on me!  And yes Rogue is an instructor.  Unfortunately you only get to see what at the end of the story because she's got bigger concerns now with the virus.  But believe you me, I chose her well.  And don't worry, I love long reviews.  I hate people who just say "good stuff, more" or such.


	4. IV

Finally the school day ended, and Scott arrived in his convertible.  Between him and Kitty, they loaded up the students from the Institute and drove back towards it, freeing them from yet another day of boring homework and hateful students.

To their surprise, as soon as the two cars reached the Institute garage and their passengers began to unload, there was a telepathic call.

_Students, we have a problem of grave concern.  All those currently ill, even a little, please report to the medical bay with Hank for testing_, stated Xavier, speaking to their minds.  Reluctantly, Ray and Jubes headed that way, followed by Scott, who was curious to know what was going on.  And not just out of concern for his team, after all.  He was their field leader but he was also their friend, after all.

So it was that they found themselves in the medical bay, where the Professor were busy at work.  They could see through one of the doors to the side, in the sleeping ward, Hank and Ororo, though they were dressed as if for surgery, with gloves and masks designed to prevent the spread of contagion.  To their surprise, Sam, Kurt and Jamie were all their, as well as Amara, Rogue and Jean, all coughing, all sick, all lying down.  The Professor tapped the control on his wheelchair, moving it out from behind where he'd been and moving forward to address Scott, Ray and Jubes.

"I'm afraid we have something of an epidemic going through the Institute at the moment," he said, his voice quiet and tense.  "Ray, Jubilee, please join Hank in the other room.  Scott, please come with me."  Professor Xavier led Scott over to the table where he'd been working, quickly double-checking his readings before sighing deeply.

"Professor, what is going on?" asked Scott.

"I'm afraid I don't yet known Scott.  But I do know that some sort of... disease, is starting to pop up in the students.  Hank and I have yet to isolate the cause, but until we do, we will need to make sure the other students are safe," he stated, picking up a small needle from the table.  "Would you hold out your hand please?"

Scott reluctantly did so, holding out his hand as Xavier placed the tip of a sharp needle against Scott's arm, drawing just a single drop of blood and being quick to cover it up.  The blood he placed on a piece of glass and put it under the microscope he'd been at.  As he examined it, Scott noticed a great many more rested next to his, all labeled with names of the occupants of the Institute.

"Looks like you're clean Scott."

Scott breathed a sigh of relief.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elsewhere in Bayville, it was the same for others.

Specifically, the young mutant Dorian Leech.

The young brown-haired boy was bedridden, coughing like there was no end, and he was burning up.  His mother was absolutely frantic, trying everything she knew to try and help her son, but he'd been like this all day and she was growing desperate.  She'd tried everything, even taken a trip to the grocery store to grab some off the shelf medicines, but none of them were of any aid.  And she dare not take little Dorian to a hospital.  They'd... they'd treat him like a mutant, she thought.  As always, sorrow for her son's newfound life brought hot tears to her eyes but she angrily wiped them away.

There was a time for despair and there was a time for action.

Sighing, she realized there was only one possibly place she could turn to for answers.  She went into the kitchen, grabbing her purse from where she'd left it on the counter.  She rummaged around inside, searching for... ah, there it was.  She smiled a little as she drew out the slightly crumpled piece of paper, very glad she still had it.

Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.

Professor Xavier's card, including a number.  Until now, she'd been quiet content to not have any contact with the Institute mutants.  Or any, for that matter, not even those Brotherhood boys who also lived in Bayville.

But now she had little choice.  She dialed the number into her cordless phone, holding it against her ear, as she waited... waited.  Ring... ring.

"Hello Mrs. Leech," came a voice she instantly recognized as Professor Xavier's.  Despite this she felt her heart flutter fearfully.

"Yes this is... how... how did you know...?"

"Ah, my apologies.  I did not mean to startle you."

"Yes, uhm... listen Professor I know you said call whenever, and well... I don't want to disturb you if you're busy," she started.

"Not at all," he replied, though this was far from the truth.  Xavier was, at the moment, going through the inspecting of other students for unusually high numbers of infected cells.  Thus far, things were not looking good.  And if the mother of another Bayville mutant was calling him at the same time, things were looking worse by the moment.

"It's Dorian, he's..."

"Ill, is he not?" he interrupted, again making her shiver.

"You're... you're reading my mind?" she asked.  She wasn't one hundred percent what Xavier could do as a mutant, but, she had an idea.  All those stories, all those news reports about mutant powers.  It was enough to boggle the mind.

"No, that was an educated guess.  I'm afraid a number of my students are also ill... a fever, I presume?  Coughing and such?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice hardly louder than a whisper.  "I've tried everything I know of, but nothing seems to work.  I can't take him to a hospital, I mean..."

"I understand your situation," he replied, again interrupting her as she began to become hysterical.  Instantly she calmed down.  Xavier's voice had a way of doing that.  And it had nothing to do with his mutation.  When he talked, people listened, and only the most hot-headed (or thick-headed) individuals failed to be calmed by his soothing words.  Had he not been a mutant, not started a school to teach and educated young mutants, he might have become a most effective diplomat or politician.  "Please, bring Dorian to the Institute and we will care for him as best we can.  We have only the latest resources to assist him."

"Thank you," she breathed, as she hung up the phone and grabbed her coat.  The Institute was only about twenty minutes away, and thankfully Dorian was still small enough for her to carry to the car.

But as she picked him up in her arms, she couldn't help but notice how pitifully tiny and wasted he seemed.  She ran through almost three red lights on her way to the Institute.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things were growing worse at the Xavier Institute.

Everyone had been accounted for.  Almost half of the Institute's population was sick with the mysterious illness.  Among the infected were Rogue, Jean, Kurt and most of the new recruits.  Only Tabby, Roberto and Bobby weren't yet affected.  So far none of the adults had been afflicted, and Xavier had now ordered a quarantine be imposed on the medical ward to ensure the contagion did not spread.  It was not an easy choice, but it was one that had to be made.

Xavier sighed, turning away from the glass wall separating his sick students from those outside.  Ororo was there beside him, and also Kitty and Tabby.  Hank was inside the quarantined area in a containment suit.  Xavier had it specially ordered from his usual contacts to fit the much larger, ape-like frame of his confidant Hank.  He had hoped they wouldn't need to use it, but it was always better to be prepared.  Bobby was in a similar suit, helping out by providing ice-packs to the infected.  Their body temperature was rising very rapidly as the illness progressed, and his aid was a welcome relief.

Though his humor they could have done without.  Rogue had put it best by saying that Bobby was no Patch Adams.

Xavier turned his chair away from the glass, returning to his lab station and again going over the puzzle of what they were dealing with.  And how to deal with it.  Ororo came over, gently laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll meet Mrs. Leech at the doorway," she said, starting to leave.

"No wait please, Ororo..." he said, turning.  "Scott, please see to that.  Ororo, we have another matter to consider," he said as the brown-haired boy left.  Ororo frowned, confused.  "If young Dorian has indeed contracted the same illness as the other students, I suspect it is more widespread than just the Institute."

"Should we alert Mayor Kelly?" asked Ororo.  She did not care for him, but he was their mayor, after all.  He should be informed of dangers to the community.

"That is likely the last thing we should do right now," replied Xavier.  "Considering what myself and Hank have just discovered.  Observe."

Xavier made his way to another part of the lab he was working on, indicating to beakers filled with a semi-clear, reddish-pink liquid.  They were in a sealed off small room, accessible only through the black gloves built into the glass wall sealing them off.  Both seemed identical, covered in a thin plastic film.  Gently Xavier picked up a syringe and injected both through the plastic.  One slowly turned a thick, gooey greenish-black, while the other did not seem to have changed at all.

"As you can no doubt guess," he said, as Kitty and Tabby moved up to watch alongside Ororo.  "The first beaker contains mutant cells... the other contains ordinary human cells.  This... this virus... attacks only the X-gene," he stated with grave finality.

"Goddess," breathed Ororo.

"Wow," whispered Kitty.

"Holy..." muttered Tabby.

"Tabitha," interrupted Xavier before she could finish her statement.  "I need you to go to Forge's residence.  Bring him here, convince him it is for his own good," stated Xavier.  "Kitty, the Brotherhood house.  Ororo..."

"The Morlocks," she replied, nodding.  Xavier did as well, confirming her hunch, and within moments the three mutant females had left the lab on their mission, grateful to have something they could do instead of just watch their friends and family suffer.

Xavier returned to his research, hoping to find out more about this terrible virus that plagued the mutant community.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello?"

Silence greeted her.

"Hello?" she called out again, taking a step into the Institute.  Amanda closed the door behind her, slipping off her gloves and looking around.  No one was near, all was deathly silent.

Amanda had arrive moments ago, determined to arrive after school to see Kurt and hopefully improve his condition.  She wasn't sure how sick he was, but he always felt better when she was around.  Or so he said.  So she'd taken the bus home, dropped off her things, and walked here.  Indeed, had she known it, she'd only narrowly missed as Kitty had driven out and Ororo and Tabby had embarked on their own missions.

All was deathly quiet in the Institute.

_Ah, Amanda... this is fortunate.  Could you please join me on the second basement floor?_

The words rippled in her mind, and despite the many times it had happened before, Amanda shivered a little.  It always unnerved her whenever Professor X did that.  Truth be told, most mutations still surprised her every time they were used... except Kurt's.  She'd grown used to his.

Following his instructions, Amanda followed the hallway to the elevator and rode it down to the second basement.  She hadn't been this low underground in the Institute before, and was amazed at the vast change from warm, friendly and slightly out-dated mansion to cutting edge, cold steel walls.  It was like being transported onto one of those futuristic ships on a Sci-fi show that Kurt and she loved so much.

This way, directed the voice inside of her head, giving Amanda the equivalent to a mental arrow pointing her in the direction she was to go.  She followed it, winding up in the medical lab.  Professor Xavier and some other woman was with her that Amanda didn't recognize, and also Scott was there.

"Oh, hello Professor.  I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something, I just came over to see Kurt," she said.

"As I suspected you would.  Unfortunately a problem has developed..."

"Kurt isn't getting worse is he?" she asked, suddenly worried for her furry blue boyfriend.

"I'm afraid what we're dealing with is much worse than a simple illness, Ms. Sefton," he stated quietly.  Then, he gestured to the woman behind him.  "This is Mrs. Leech.  You may recall her son was involved in an anti-mutant attack a few months ago."

"Oh yes I recall, it was on the news... with the sewers mutants and... and Evan," she said.  Amanda had never fully wrapped her mind around that one.  She'd known Evan when he'd been a student at Bayville, since he'd been good friends with Kurt.  But this new Evan seemed so different from the old one.  So much more violent and angry with the world in general.

"Mrs. Leech's son has also fallen ill.  The same illness Kurt has.  And it is spreading throughout the Institute," Xavier stated gently.  Amanda shivered.

"Anyone with a X-gene is susceptible, we've found..." he said, trailing off delibertly.

"Even a latent X-gene?" asked Amanda.

"We're not sure yet.  I've already checked Mrs. Leech.  She has no X-gene, nor is she ill, because this virus only targets that gene specifically.  From what I can tell, Dorian developed his spontaneously.  But you may be a different case, Amanda, and I want to make sure there is no risk to you."

Amanda nodded dimly, allowing Xavier to draw a tiny drop of her blood and examine it under a microscope.  All the while she felt her gut twist fearfully.  Not just for herself, but for Kurt and all the other poor mutants who might be infected.

"It seems your cells are unaffected, Amanda," stated Xavier, and Amanda breathed a welcome sigh of relief.  "Though this means that you are not susceptible, or that you have had no contact with the disease.  The X-gene may have to be active for someone to be ill, but until we know more we cannot take any risks.  I recommend we assume that you are susceptible and keep you isolated from the ill for right now."

"Oh..." she sighed, dejectedly now, realizing she wouldn't be able to see Kurt.  She had to try though.  "Is... is it possible for me to see Kurt, at least?"

Xavier frowned, considering her request.  He tented his fingers, as he often did when he thought deeply, glancing at Scott as well for his opinion as the two shared a brief mental meeting of the minds.  Finally, he nodded.  Once.  He could let her see Kurt, at least. 

**Author's Notes:**

And yet more mutants become ill.  And a little extra screen time for one of the most underused types of characters: a mutants parents.  Specifically, Mrs. Leech.  I know Dorian Leech is "Leech" the Morlock mutant, but seriously, how on earth did that become a family last name?  Maybe Dorian's father was a lawyer or something, eh?  Hehehe.  Yet more references to Amanda's latent X-gene (basically, a mutant with no powers) which is of course mentioned in 'Nullification' and again briefly in 'I Dream of a Blue Christmas.'  Like 'Nullification', we now deal with the slow gathering of the other teams and loner individuals, arranging them oh-so-carefully like a game of chess.  Still, with all the break-ups and new individuals introduced in season four, I'm really gonna have to cut corners to fit everyone in neatly.  Now I know how the Evo writers must've felt, fitting so many into half an hour segments.

Snitter in Rivendell: Wow, that's a mouthful.  I am most unworthy of such high praise.  But I am ever so glad my work has not gone underappreciated.  I am glad you liked particularly my writing of X23, for she is my favorite character, and when you cannot write your favorite well, all hope is lost for ye.  And yes I know I shamelessly keep mentioning Tabby/Amara goodness.  Blame Comet-hime, her artwork is addictive.

Todd fan: Hehehe, oh they'll need more than tissues before this is all over.  Maybe a few dozen body bags or so.  Believe you me.  Muwahahahah!! *evil cackling*

Mannielf18: All will be revealed in due time, but believe me, what I've done to X23 and Logan (and Sabertooth!) is integral to the plot.  Vital, even.  It may give some small hint as to what is going on.  Besides, with this chapter I've all but spelled it out for the viewers.  I really should stop hinting so much, but I can't help it.

Comet-hime: 'course I do!  Everybody loves lovable ol' Rurouni Tyriel.  As for why the Weapon Xee's got captured, well, it'll all make sense soon.  'til then, I leave you all to keep guessing.

CrypticIdentity: No, dunno who that is, and no, just like I told Snitter in Rivendell.  The third no has a replacement of sorts.  And I don't even know who this Selene is.  Glad you're enjoying the storyline though, I know I am.  And I've got even more in store, so don't you fret.

Sandoz: Actually no.  D, None of the above, Someone Else.  Those organizations will be involved later, but they are not responsible for the Weapon Xee's (as I seem to be calling them) being imprisoned.  But you are thinking along the right lines.  I should've known.  You have always been too clever for your own good.  ^_^

The Rogue Witch: No meaning behind it, just my stupid computer at work again, adding the 'ly' at the end to annoy the hell out of me.  I think it's fixed now.  Yes it's Sabertooth, and he'll wake up soon enough and be ready to be his lovable (or not so lovable self) in no time.

Nessie6: I like X23, she's my fav character, even if she's a Mary Sue and so horribly underdeveloped, character wise.  I have taken it upon myself to nurture her into the woman she is destined to be.  Like I started in 'Weapon X24'.  Pietro will be along, Pyro after him, but Gambit... mmmmm... maybe.  I don't care for Romy's.  I'm more of a Scogue fan.


	5. V

It was quiet at the Brotherhood House when Kitty arrived in her new forester.  Hesitantly she knocked on the door, and to her relief not two minutes later there stood Lance.  He look relieved to see her.  And not in the Save-me-from-these-idiots-I-live-with way.  Something worse.

"Kitty... what're you doing here?" he asked, blocking her way with his body.  He held the door partially shut, so they could talk, but short of phasing she wasn't going to be able to get in.

"Lance, something's wrong... can I come in?" she asked.

Lanced grimaced, glancing over his shoulder.  "Kitty, now might not be a good time..."

"They're sick, aren't they?" Kitty said, her voice subdued.

"And I thought the redhead was telepathic..." he said, opening the door wide and allowing her in.  Almost as an afterthought, he grabbed the handkerchief from his belt, where he'd placed it before opening the door, and handed it to Kitty.  "Keep your mouth covered.  I'm no doctor but this seems pretty bad stuff," he said, covering his mouth with his hand as he and Kitty walked upstairs and into what had formerly been Mystique's room.

With the absence of Mystique, no one was particularly anxious to take it for their own.  Too many lingering memories from Mystique and Boom-Boom.  That had not, however, stopped them from plundering the expensive stuff and selling it when their money had grown short.

Now it was a makeshift med ward.

Fred stood to one side of the bed, upon which lay Pietro and Todd, both with the symptoms Kitty recognized as definitely those of the plague.  Coughing, high fever, and lack of energy.  She pressed the handkerchief tighter against her mouth, though she wasn't sure how much protection this would give her.  Belatedly she realized Lance was leaving himself somewhat vulnerable without it, and she felt a surge of warm feeling towards him for being so kind.  There was no sign of Wanda.

Freddy was taking a wet cloth and with surprising gentleness for a man his size, was carefully doing his best to keep both of his roommates cool and comfortable.  However, when he spotted Kitty coming in, he immediately stood, making his way over to her and Lance, hoping for better news.

"Kitty we don't know what to do... Toad and Pietro just got sick out of the blue, and nothing we seem to do is helping them," stated Lance.

"It's the same at the Institute," she replied, stepping out into the hallway with Lance and Fred, and reluctantly uncovering her mouth so it was easier for her to speak.  "The Professor sent me to get you all and take any sick you had over there.  We're trying to find a cure."

"Sure thing.  Fred," said Lance.  "Get the two knuckleheads, I'll bring the jeep around."

"Where's Wanda?" asked Kitty.

"Took off shortly after Pietro fell sick.  I'm not sure where she is," replied Lance, as he grabbed his keys and all but flew down the stairs to the jeep.

"I'll try and find her!" replied Kitty, as Fred slung both Pietro and Todd over his massive shoulders and carried them with surprising tenderness down and out of the house, to where Lance was waiting in his jeep, the engine already running and ready.

"Hurry up Kitty," he murmured quietly.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tabby arrived at Forge's house with little fuss, since it was only a short walking distance from the Institute.  Kurt had shown her the way once when she'd expressed an interest in the out-of-time inventor boy.  She'd quickly withdraw her opinion of him once she'd actually met Forge in person.  This was, of course, back when she'd first been a new recruit.  He was utterly immune to her charms that, at the time, she'd poured on heavily on any passing male.  And more than a few females, truth be told.  But Forge hadn't even expressed so much as a hint of interest, all he cared about was his machines.  She had the feeling if a super model in a skimpy bikini appeared in his lab, offering him all the pleasures of heaven, he'd probably just ask her to pass him a wrench.

Tabby sighed and knocked on the door to his lab, as always surprised by how elderly his parents looked, considering Forge was physically about her age.  Middleverse really did mess him up, since he'd been gone for almost thirty solid years.  Now he was a kid when he should've been an adult.  Shaking her head to clear her mind, Tabby stepped into his lab, watching as Forge glanced up at her, reforming his arm back into normal as he turned to greet her.  He was polite, at least.

"Hey... Tabby, isn't it?" he said with a smile.  "Come on in... what can I do for you?"

"We've... got a bit of a problem on our hands, tool-boy," she said.  "Tell me... you feelin' alright today?"

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh my god," whispered Amanda, placing a hand over her open mouth as she saw Kurt.

To describe him as sick was a dreadful understatement.  He looked half-dead.  His skin was covered in sickly green lesions that were easily visible through his fur, and his fur itself was stiff and clumpy, like it hadn't been washed in ages, and he was absolutely still.  If not for the shallow intake and outtake of breath, assisted by a respirator, he might've been considered dead already.

Amanda watched him silently from behind the glass screen, unable to fully comprehend that her energetic, healthy boyfriend and this sick, dying individual could be one and the same.  But they were.

And she had to help.

"Amanda... Amanda wait!" shouted Xavier, as Amanda practically tore open the door isolating the sick from the healthy and rushed in, barely managing to avoid being snagged by Scott and Bobby as she moved into the infected zone, beyond where they could safely follow.  Hank, inside but protected in his suit, made his way to try and brace the door but he was too late, and she was already in.  There was no chance of preventing infection now, as he reluctantly let her pass by his massive frame to the much smaller, spiny frame of Kurt, lying motionless on his bed.

She barely heard the sounds of confusion and chaos in the background from the Professor and the others, she had eyes and ears only for Kurt.

"Kurt... oh god I'm here Kurt... please be alright..." she cooed softly, stroking his forehead and brushing back his long, dark blue locks of hair.  To her surprise, the gentle gesture caused his eyes to flutter, though his eyes were the blank stare of someone still very much unconscious.  But at least he was still alive.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kitty found Wanda in the backyard of the Brotherhood house, sitting on the porch in one of those hanging rocking chairs-benches.  That was what she was doing now... rocking back and forth, back and forth, slowly... staring out at the snow-covered ground blankly.

Kitty barely paid any attention to the gigantic snowman, nor its little snow-buddy.  Nor the snow-angels in the ground.  Not even to the rather cute heart drawn in the ground by booted feet, with the initials 'W' & 'T' crudely drawn out.  Evidently, neither did Wanda.  She just continued to stare blankly ahead, her eyes unfocused as she rocked back and forth in her chair.

"Stay away," hissed Wanda, once Kitty started to get too close.

"Wanda?" asked the little pony-tailed girl, tentatively moving towards the sullen goth swinging from the chair.  She moved quietly, after all, Wanda had once been known for having a very fierce temper.  The multiple Todd-shaped marks in the wall indicated she still had no objection to using her powers recklessly.  "You alright?"

The mutant girl known as the Scarlet Witch snapped her head up, her eyes opening wide all at once as she turned to regard Kitty, who slipped her back foot an inch or so into the ground, ready to vanish completely if Wanda attacked her.

"My brother and my..." she stuttered.  "One of my friends is dying.  Of course I am not alright," she replied darkly.

"Wanda come on... we're taking Todd and Pietro to the infirmary at the Institute.  We're gonna get them help.  But you gotta come too, we're not sure if you're infected or not..."

"I -am- infected," she replied sullenly, folding her arms trying to ignore Kitty.

"All the more reason you should come with us," replied Kitty, making her way over to sit on the banister separating the porch from the backyard, sitting down right in front of Wanda.  "Come on, I'm sure the Professor and Beast can find a cure..."

"Go away," grumbled Wanda.  "I don't want to talk about it.  I'm not going and that's final."

"But..."

"GO!" she roared, blue energy crackling around her hands and her eyes, as Kitty stumbled backwards and landed in an awkward heap in the snow, just beyond the banister.  Without wasting a moment, Kitty scrambled to her feet and was off like a shot, running away.

Wanda didn't even watch her go.  She just kept staring ahead, waiting... until the symptoms would start to appear.  She couldn't face anyone now, not after the way she'd been infected.  She felt a heat on the back of her neck, but that was from embarrassment, not the illness.

If the disease didn't kill the slimy Toad, I'll do it myself, vowed Wanda.

Although, another thought came to mind as she ran a finger along her lips.  It hadn't been all -that- bad...

"Oh damnit.  I guess I can always kill him later," she cursed, getting to her feet and running around to the front of the house.  "Wait for me!"

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scott sat alone, outside, at the Gazebo.

He couldn't stand it anymore.  Walking up and down amongst friends, watching them cough and gasp for air, watching them fall unconscious as the disease worsened.  It hurt especially to see Kurt, with the sickly lesions growing on the normally hyperactive elf who'd become almost a little brother to him (an annoying little brother, to be fair).

But what'd hurt most was Jean.

Mercifully, she'd fallen unconscious shortly before arriving back at the Institute, being carried in Ororo's arms.  She couldn't feel, couldn't see, what the virus was doing to her body.  She had all but shriveled to a former husk of herself in mere hours, and already Scott could see dark bruises forming on her skin where lesions would soon appear.  Even her flaming red hair, so captivating, was fading.  She was dying, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to save her.  Not even be an anchor for her, like all those times he'd been before, when she'd had power 'blips' or surges.  He was utterly helpless, and it frustrated him to no end.

So it was that, without a word to anyone, he'd left the med ward, wandered outside.  No one had stopped him.  They'd understood… or at least thought they did.  He needed to be alone with his pain, that at least was evident.  So it was that his fists clenched around the marble railing of the gazebo so tightly his knuckles turned white, as he cast his perpetually red-tinted gaze skyward.

It was happening all over again.  First he'd lost his family in a plane crash, now he was about to lose Jean as well.

A single tear escaped from underneath his ruby-red sunglasses, dropping down onto the jagged rocks below.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow, that bad huh?" asked Forge, once Tabby had finished explaining the situation to him.

"And its spreading.  We're not sure how but Leech already got sick.  So its not just us at the Institute.  So we need to get you back to the Institute and tested, before you get sick," replied Tabby, for once all serious.  It was that, more than anything, that convinced Forge.

"Yeah sure... just let me grab something and we'll get going," he said, immediately diving back into his piles of tools and gadgets, as Tabby made her way upstairs to wait in the hallway.

"Alright," said Forge, reappearing the hallway with a backpack slung over one shoulder.  Tabby raised an eyebrow.

"What's in there?" she asked, as she and Forge stepped outside, the young native American calling out to his parents he'd be back soon, he was heading to the Xavier Institute.  They were used to it, since Forge kept irregular hours with his job and all and his visits to the Institute to assist with Cerebro and the school's security features.

"Just something I wanted to tinker with while I was visiting," he said, hoisting the pack over his shoulder and setting out on foot with Tabby walking close behind, back to the Institute.

"Not another one of those zapper ray thingies, is it?" she asked, putting a few more feet of distance between her and Forge.

"Nah.  Just an Gamecube I wanted to tinker around with," he replied.  "I think I found a way to push the games to a whole new level."

To that, Tabby had no possible reply.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Institute, things had calmed down, though the situation had not been improved all too greatly.  Kitty and the Brotherhood had arrived a short while ago, and those sick had been quickly placed inside the rapidly being filled up quarantine room.  Several of students with more advanced marks of the disease, Kurt, Sam and Jamie, were being moved in isolation to the level below to make room.

Of the Brotherhood, Todd and Pietro were the worse, and Todd was sent below with the worse subjects of the virus.  Fred had also fallen ill along the way, though he had yet to show any symptoms of the virus.  Kitty, Lance and (surprisingly) Wanda were all safe, for the moment.  They all volunteered to help, and Xavier put them to work where he felt was best, though in truth he was very much out of his league.  So was Hank.  Though a brilliant chemist, he was no pathologist.  Logan might've known something about how to deal with diseases, but he had yet to return from his ride.

Amanda had, thankfully, not caught the disease from her unprotected contact with the others.  This led Xavier to believe that perhaps his earlier theory had been correct, that only active x-genes were susceptible to infection.  Still, Amanda refused to leave the Institute (or even Kurt's side) and they had to take precautions.  Thus, like Bobby, she was now given a containment suit and asked to assist in the caring of the students below, easing the work load of the others.  Hank in particular was now free to actively study the virus and work to find a cure, though with little success.

And so Professor Charles Xavier realized that this situation was beyond his control.  And he began to make some phone calls.

**Author's Notes:**

Awww, wasn't that sweet of Lance, protecting his pretty kitty?  I thought so.  I also through in a tiny bit of insight into what I imagine the Tabby-Forge friendship must be like.  And of course more of Amanda.  Is that not totally what she would do?  Now things are really beginning to heat up, as the symptoms of the disease get even worse.  And this... this is only the beginning.  Kinda makes you wonder who Xavier is going to call.  Any guesses?  By popular request, an Evolized Moira MacTaggert will appear later on in the story.  I suppose it only makes sense, because I'll be needing her in future stories and yet even more sequels of 'Nullification' and 'Infection.'

Todd fan: Of course Forge.  I haven't forgotten him (unlike the Evo writers.  He just vanished after second season).  And yes it will be interesting with the Morlocks and especially Callisto, I only hope I write it out well.

Sandoz: Of course not.  Like 'Nullification', I must now gather everyone together and build towards a super climactic battle!  As for Kitty at the Brotherhood, didja like?  I thought you would.  And yes, someone seen on the Evo episodes.  You are so close its scary.

Nessie6: Oh I agree, anything is better if its well-written.  Even some Romy's.  And yeah its been done to death, even before he appeared on Evo.  So have the Kurtty's.  Pietro's here, Pyro is coming.  He needs appropriate build-up (so he looks foolish in a good way) later.

Rogue Witch: But Evo Callisto's nicer!  Plus I'm a Callisto/Evan fan, and Spyke'd never let Auntie O beat up his girlfriend.  Therefore, argument at most, no catfight.  Catfight to come later between, hmmmmm... I'll think of something.  Maybe Rahne and Jubilee.

Rogue14: Oh I will.  But glad you're enjoying it none the less.  And I'll keep writing more chapters, but you should too!  Write!

DoubleL27: Wonderful, I knew I had a good audience.  Speaking of "the Professor" or Colonel Wraith, as I prefer to call him... who ever said he was dead?  No one!  Double-check the end of Nullification.  But you are closer than you could possibly imagine as to whom is the villain of this story.  Glad you like my development of X23, I'm rather proud of what I've done to her too.

UnknownSource: Well we all know that some people just plain don't like mutants.  Except the elderly farming couple we saw on the news, who don't know what they are.  Oh, this virus is definently more deadly... just you wait.  But you have touched upon the reason the regenerative mutants were all taken out of the picture.  Not coincidental by any stretch of the imagination.  Don't worry I'll give some character insight shortly.  I just don't want to do too many or have them become repetitive.

OpticRed: Scott is not affected.  I have my own fiendish reasons for keeping him healthy.  I said among the new recruits, those three aren't affected, although I shouldn't have mentioned Bobby since he's a full X-man now (see 'Weapon X24').  Don't worry, questions always good.  Helps me fix any mistakes I make.

Elrohirthewriter: I promise nothing.  Leech's fate hangs in the balance, as do all the mutants.  Thanks for the comment, I greatly appreciate such for I am always overly critical of my own work.  And yes I'm glad you liked the girl's reactions.  Believe me, I could've taken all the X-Men (plus New Recruits) and done something similar.

CrypticIdentity: Answer your question?  That's how Amanda reacted.  Though we never do think things through when we're in love do we?  Seriously, do we?  I wouldn't know.  And yes I'm glad you liked my portrayal of Leech's mom.  For some reason she keeps reminding me of my aunt, so she's easy to write.

Snitter in Rivendell: Patience, my friend, patience.  You know how I work.  I love doing character insight.  I just don't want to do too entirely too much of it, dontcha know?  Glad you like the introduction of Leech and Amanda though.


	6. VI

"... and that is the situation, Sabertooth," finished X23.

"Great," grunted the great beast-man, again testing his bonds.  To no avail.  Though his strength was easily greater than that of most normal humans, at his current angle he couldn't draw on enough to break the metal bands encasing his wrists.  Nor could he break the chain holding his legs.  Although, he thought, glancing down, that wasn't a bad thing just yet.

"Any bright ideas?" asked Logan.  "Anyone?"

No reply from his two cellmates.  Sabertooth was still squirming against his bonds, trying to force them by sheer strength, and X23 was either thinking or asleep, her eyes closed.

"Is anyone nearby?" inquired X23 quietly.

Frowning, Logan stretched out with his senses, but found no one.  No soldiers breathing, no gun powder nearby, no footsteps.  They were essentially alone.

"No one," he said quietly, glancing at her to figure out what she was up to.

"Swing yourself over and grab my chain," she stated, eyes now open.

"What?"

"Just do it!" she growled at him.

Reluctant to obey his pseudo-offspring, Logan eventually figured things couldn't get any worse if he tried.  So it was that, wiggling his body as best he could given his restraints, he slowly began to swing back and forth like a pocket watch on a chain.  Back and forth... back and forth... allowing his swings to become wider.

"Other than making me sick to my stomach," commented Logan on one particular pass.  "Is there a point to this?"

"Just... grab it!" she said, as he got near, and he did.  Logan twisted, grabbing the chain as it passed very near to his face with one hand.  Very luckily he managed to hold on, shifting to grab with his other, though the chain was practically strangling him, cutting against his neck.

"Rrrgh... got it.  What now?" he grumbled.

"Shift lower, closer to my feet... Sabertooth, keep watch," she instructed.  Creed grunted, and reluctantly did as he was told.

Ah, now the plan makes sense, thought Logan, as he dutifully shifted lower along the chain, almost inching his way down.  As he reached her black boo, the adamantium blade concealed in her foot shot out, nearly slicing through Logan's hand, but he shifted, and instead managed to cut not himself, but slice clean through the bonds holding his hands in place.

Now free of the binding restraints Logan swung an arm freely and slice off the metal chain wrapped around his own legs, holding on to X23's.

"Good work kid," he commented, reaching down and slicing through her bonds as well.  She climbed up along the chain as well, then leapt onto the platform nearby with all the grace and skill that had been trained into her at birth.

"Stop calling me that," she absent-mindedly grumbled, smoothing out her dark brown.

"Will you two stop the stupid family reunion and get me down already?" grumbled Sabertooth, squirming against his bonds.  Logan frowned, glaring over at his arch-rival as he swung down onto the platform next to X23.  He could just leave him here, he supposed, folding his arms.  Might keep him out of trouble for a while.

"Rrrrr... go on and help him ki... er, Sarah," he said.  "That chain might not support both of us."

X23 nodded, leaping up and gracefully grabbing onto Sabertooth's chain, flipping upside down gracefully and slicing off his bonds with her fist claws.  Her feet kept her anchored as Creed and she swung over to the platform, all finally free.

"I owe you for that I suppose," grunted Creed, flexing his now free and thoroughly sore limbs.

"Put it on my tab," remarked X23, unsheathing her claws once more.  Quickly she made her way to the door and leapt, slicing through it like it was made of cheese and sending it crashing to the ground.  Logan and Victor exchanged a glance, then followed after her.

"Tough kid... you sure she's yours?" quipped Victor.

A distinct 'snickt' sound and three adamantium blades slid from between Logan's knuckles, as he compared them, then glanced over at Sabertooth.

"Oh yeah."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They met no resistance as they made their way through the facility.  It seemed deserted as the three made their way to a nearby elevator and started to ride it to the top floor.  Presumably, the surface, for the entire thing they'd seen so far had no windows, and thus was likely underground.

However, the elevator came to a jarring halt midway between levels four and three.  The lights went out, immediately replaced by red back-up lights.

"Damn... must know we're on the move," said Wolverine, unsheathing his claws and slicing open a rectangle in the floor.  Sabertooth helped, ripping out the torn metal and creating a clear hole for the others to climb down.

"Head for the last floor, we'll take the stairs," ordered X23.

Not for the first time, both Sabertooth and Wolverine why she was calling the shots.  But ultimately they would've said the same thing in her place, so they did what she suggested.  Sabertooth ripped the door open, and -now- they met resistance.

Six armed guards immediately opened fire, pelting the corridor with bullets.  Sabertooth hurled one of the torn off doors from the elevator at them.  It didn't hit, but it was only his attention to distract them long enough as he, Wolverine, and X23 ripped through their ranks and knocked and every single one unconscious with a solid blow to the head.

"Just like ol' times, eh runt?" said Sabertooth with a grin, rubbing his knuckles.

"Shut up," grunted Logan.  Partially out of frustration that he was being forced to work with Sabertooth again, partially because he was always keenly aware that perhaps Sabertooth more about their mutual past than he did.

"Both of you shut up," grunted X23, grabbing one the guard's guns and snapping a fresh round into it, sliding it into her belt.  "Let's move."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hank again lifted his head, rubbing his eyes.  Between a lack of rest and having them pressed against the eyepiece of a microscope, they were quite sore.  Still, he took a few moments to rest them, sipped his coffee, and returned his view to what lay beneath the microscope.  One cell, two cell, more... all dead and dying.  The virus spread and multiplied faster than Ebola, but that was the closet resemblance it held to any virus on the records of the Institute.  Records that rivaled that of the Center for Disease Control in Washington D.C.  And short of keeping those infected isolated, there seemed no method cured it.  Only a few treatments he'd tested even had any luck slowing it down.  These were currently being administered to the ill by Bobby, Tabby and Amanda, but the virus continued to spread and worsen.  In a few days...

"Any luck?" came a voice to his side, interrupting his thoughts.

"None," he replied, lifting his head and turning to see Professor Xavier wheel into the room.  "Nothing seems to eliminate the virus, I've tried just about every method I know of and a few that just sprung to mind.  All we've managed to do is slow it down..."

"I see," replied Professor X.

"And the calls?  Did you contact them?"

"I did... they should be arriving as soon as they can.  Not as fast as the Blackbird travels, but they should be here before the morning anyway.  The parents have all been informed as well.  I've… been forced to downplay the severity of the situation.  I did not want to cause a panic."

"We are fortunate those two we needed were in the same place," remarked Hank, turning back to his research, again hoping he'd find some answer to the plague that gripped the students.

"Indeed.  And just so you know Hank... but with the recent addition of sick I've been forced to call someone else here as well.  I think you know whom I refer to."

"I suspected it was only a matter of time," replied Hank, not looking up from his work.  "He would be concerned, if only about the one boy."

"Indeed."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

X23, Sabertooth, and Wolverine, together could've easily taken on a small army and walked away unscathed.  And with the hearty remark 'you should see the other guys.'  But there was one opponent the three of them couldn't defeat.

And unfortunately, it was staring down at them right now.

They'd been heading down the corridor, trying to find the stairs when they'd found themselves in a large, open area in what appeared to be a metal working facility.  Some of the larger machines were marked with the 'Legacy' corporation logo.  A number of canisters lay to one side of the room, some overturned, with great silver lids lying nearby, tarnished with rust.  But it wasn't that little tidbit that drew the attention of the three warriors.  It was what had moved behind the machines, moving in closer.  It was almost too late before they noticed, their senses distracted by the moving machines.  But now there it stood, right above them.

A sentinel.

The three dodged in opposing directions from one another instinctively as a blast of blue energy shot from the automaton's chest and narrowly missed blasting them all to pieces, sending chunks of granite hurling into the air.  Sabertooth and Wolverine rolled with the blast, landing in combat crouches on either end of the room.  X23 caught the worst of it, however, and slammed fully into a steel column head first.  She collapsed onto the ground, unconscious and bleeding from a nasty cut in her forehead.

"Dibs on the head!" roared Sabertooth, taking a great leap and digging his short black claws into the black and red armored hide of the sentinel, climbing up towards the machine's head.

"I got the legs!" shouted Wolverine in reply, springing forward.

Wolverine sprang forward, claws slashing, ripping out whole chunks of circuitry and metal casing.  Alas, the sentinel saw his plan and lashed out with its foot, sending Wolverine flying.  He landed deftly on his feet, but the sentinel swung around to give chase, and he soon found himself running for his life, dodging energy blasts as they rocketed all around him, narrowly missing him.

Sabertooth was having little better luck.  With the sentinel's sudden lurching forward he'd been flung onto its back, where he was relatively safe from its arms and blasters.  For now at least.  Growling he climbed up, ripping at the beasts shoulder, where the plating was weak and the circuitry beneath was easier to reach.  Eagerly he tore into it, ripping it to pieces, and saw to his relief the right arm dropped down uselessly.

His relief was short-lived, however, as the sentinel saw a threat to its continued operation and turned its attention from Wolverine to Sabertooth.

The sentinel truly was a marvel of technology.  Employing practically every breakthrough in the sciences of combat, tracking, and strategy, it was easily capable of taking out all but the most powerful of mutants.  Apocalypse had proven the only exception so far.  A few upgrades on the behalf of the creator Trask had even improved against previously unconquerable threats like Magneto with its new dura-plastic armor.  And of course, being able to mass-produce such behemoths made them very appealing to all the world's armies.

Now it was that the sentinel's functioning right arm readjusted itself.  Unlike a human arm, designed to only work in the forwards way, the sentinel was capable of rearranging its structure in a number of useful ways.  Now it was that its arm reached around and grabbed Sabertooth.  Another quick switch brought him back in front of the sentinel as he was held up high... and the metal fingers slowly started to crush him.  Sabertooth roared in pain.

Suddenly a bang split the still air and a flurry of bullets sliced clear through the sentinel's equivalent to a wrist, sending Sabertooth and the metallic arms crashing to the ground.  Thus the sentinel's golden eyes turned and fell upon a fifteen year old girl, one hand extended with two adamantium blades, the other holding the gun she'd grabbed earlier.

"That'll teach you, you over-grown sorry excuse for a transformer!" she shouted, emptying the chamber with pinpoint accuracy, aiming for the neck.  The sentinel's head was sliced clean off, dropping down onto the ground.  The rest of the body quickly followed suit, crashing down nearby.

The sentinel's yellow eyes faded... faded... and soon became dull and inert.

Wolverine took a step towards the head, giving it a kick to make sure it was inert as he re-sheathed his claws.  Then he glanced over at X23, quirking an eyebrow.

"What?" she said, tossing the now empty gun aside.  "Jamie showed me that show once... it wasn't half bad."

"Let's get out of here," grumbled Logan.

"Not yet," interrupted Sabertooth with a grin, as he made his way over to the inert Sentinel's head and, with a tremendous grunt, lifted the entire damn thing up under his arm.  "Wanted a souvenir of my time here," he said with a rather distinct, fang-filled grin.

They all heard it at the same time.  It was a very distinct sound.

The whirr of metal moving, of machines preparing.  Six more pairs of golden eyes appeared in the darkened corners of the room, and as they shifted, red and black steel became visible in the light.

"Looks like the gift shop just opened," grumbled Wolverine, unsheathing his claws.

**Author's Notes:**

Another cute scene with my fav mutants, the Weapon Xee's.  Basically its to stall for time and continue to build suspense regarding both their situation and those at the Institute.  And give time for those traveling to the Institute to get there.  The company Legacy is of course obvious reference to the Legacy Virus, but there's something even deeper to it than that.  In my story, at least.  Again, another reference to 'Weapon X24' where X23 lived at the Institute as a "normal" mutant girl and became at least passing friends with Jamie.  I think it was Red Witch was the first one who noticed the similarities between the new Evo sentinels (a vast improvement over the pink human giants from TAS) and the transformer robots from a slew of other series.  But whoever it was, it's still funny.  And actually the final line from Sabertooth mimics a line he had from 'Weapon X, Lies and Videotape' where he picked up the head of one of the TALOS robots and said he had "a new ashtray."

Comet-hime: Sorry to disappoint you, luv.  More Tabbyamaraness next chapter, promise.  I'm glad you're liking the portrayal of the characters, I do try and be accurate.  I'd like to trade in my brown points, what can I get?

Todd fan: Hehehe, I thought you'd like that.  I was worried you wouldn't like what Tabby thought about him though.  Especially since you paired up with Danielle so recently.  And yes, many many more sequels to come, until you're all positively sick of me.

Nessie6: Wow, you really like the underdogs, don't you?  Pietro, Forge, who's next?  Dorian, Jason and Ian?  Hehehehe.  And yes, I try to update quickly.  If I don't get all these stories out of my head they fester as a mental illness.  Hehe.  'fraid Guyrich is not the fellow you're looking for.  But you're soooooooooo close it hurts!

Snitter in Rivendell: Well I am glad I restored your confidence.  Glad you liked my work with Amanda and Wanda, I was very proud of those.  And yes of course I put in Forge.  I try to include as many of the Evo cast as I can in my big '-tion' stories.

GryfinndorSeeker: Well thank you very much.  I do try.  I hoped you liked my portrayal of Ororo and her encounter with the Morlocks.  And glad you liked what I did with Forge.  I wanted to portray his inventive side without having him make something like a ray cannon or some junk.

Optic Red: To be honest I have absolutely no idea on the exact mechanics of Scott's powers.  But I do know that his body is perpetually shielded from his own powers, and so is Alex from his (and each other's) so presumably his tears are shielded.  But if not, I dunno.  Point is, in my story he can cry, damnit!

Elrohirthewriter: Of course Lanccity forever!  And power to the Scogue as well!  But no, the virus won't kill Jean.  It isn't her time to die… not yet.  I have bigger plans in store for her and the other X-Men.  And yes, Wanda and Kitty do normally get along, but Wanda doesn't get along well with anyone really, does she?  She hates her own sibling for crying out loud.  The fact that she didn't hex bolt Kitty means she's at least a friend.  And yes Moira will show up, though I'll need to do some research since I know next to nothing about her.

Rogue14: I will, I will, fret not.  But don't worry, you know I would never hurt the precious little elf.  It would break Amanda's heart.  Well, then again… *evil laughter*.

Sandoz: Yeah Lance and Kitty are one of my most favorite couples on Evo, second only to Kurt and Amanda.  And of course Wanda and Todd kissed!  Thought you can bet dollars to doughnuts that she didn't do it willingly.  Hehehehehehe.  You will see soon who is behind this.  Plenty of cameos to come, Magneto being the very least of them.

The Rogue Witch: Who the heck is Cecilia?  Essex I know (who doesn't?).  Moira and yes one other mutant-scientist type person are being called, though you'll find out soon more about them.  Glad you liked Wanda, I know that creepy rocking back and forth is totally her.  Glad also you liked the descriptions of the infected, it took me a while to write that.

Ray1: I already have, Ray1.  I already have.


	7. VII

Ororo pinched her nose, waving away the powerful smell that she did not care to identify.  The same smell that permeated every single tunnel in the sewers of Bayville.  Not for the first time, she wondered why on earth Evan and the Morlocks chose to live down here.

Because they can't live above, a voice in the back of her head told her.  They can't hide who they are, like you can.  Or even Kurt, the voice argued before she could object.  Hank proved that holowatches aren't for everyone.  And not a day went by that Kitty had asked Kurt if he really wanted to consider taking it off today, and walking to school as he really was.  And every day, Ororo had noticed, it was getting harder for Kurt to say no.

Grimacing, Ororo shook her head, clearing her thoughts and focused on her mission.  To find her nephew and the Morlocks.

Unfortunately the Morlocks were very difficult to find, as they moved through the sewers as easily as her old fellow tribesmen had through the wilds of Africa.  Thus they could be as quiet and invisible as ghosts, if they wished.  Hopefully they'd find her before she found them.

"What business brings you here?" came a cold, dead monotone voice from behind her, and Ororo froze.  Slowly she turned around, to see there stood one of the Morlocks.  The pale, bald man she'd seen before, though she could not place his name.

"I... I've come here to find Evan," she said.  "There is a sickness on the surface, we thought it best to warn..."

"Follow..." he slurred, beckoning her to follow as he turned and walked down the tunnel he'd just come from.

Ororo gently coaxed the winds to lift herself up, so she wouldn't touch her feet in the filth of this particular passageway, and floated after the strange Morlock, praying to the Goddess that everything was alright.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the medical bay of the Institute, things were growing worse with each passing moment.  Green lesions were forming on yet more of the students who were quickly joining those below in the level two ward.  Body heat was rising as well for those getting gradually worse, and Bobby Drake was working full time in the lower ward to keep things cool and comfortable.  Though now, like most of the students, he'd gone off to get some much needed rest from a full day of working.  Even Roberto, with all the endless energy he sometimes had and his desire to use it, had decided even today had been enough for him and had fallen asleep as soon as the sun set beneath the horizon.

Now only Hank McCoy was awake, in the med lab, busy trying to unravel the mystery of the unknown virus.  For lack of a better term, he was using the name that had been going around the upper medical ward amongst the very cranky and sick teenagers.  Rogue had been the one who coined it, he believed.

The 'anti-mutant' virus.

A sudden ding drew Hank's attention, once more drawing him away from his work as he glanced over at the monitor of a nearby system.  Oh yes, he'd set that up to alert him when they'd arrived.  Hank turned his chair and pushed it off, sending himself across the floor.  Had he not been so seriously involving in his work, he might've enjoyed it.  He did know how to have fun, after all.  He wasn't quite the dry sarcastic teacher type that some of the students (especially Bobby) pegged him as.

Turning to activate the monitor, Hank saw, as he'd suspected, that a small charter plane had just passed over the night-lit coastline and was angling towards the Institute.  Gently he tapped in the appropriate keys, 'causing the hangar doors to open, so the small plane could gracefully glide in to land alongside its larger counterpart, the Blackbird.

"Ah, they've arrived," he said, mostly speaking to himself.  Professor Xavier had retired to bed earlier for a nap, with implicit instructions to be awakened when their guests arrived.  It seemed the time had come.  Adjusting his glasses and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stood up and knuckled his way out of the medical lab, putting his experiments on hold.  Once outside and safe from the hazardous materials and glass contained therein, he stretched out his great limbs and yawned, though a casual observer would've thought perhaps he was roaring.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The elevators came to a halt with a cheery 'ding' sound as Beast and Professor X stepped out, knuckling or rolling their way over towards their guests.  They had just emerged from their charter plane, though Xavier could clearly hear some good-natured cursing in Scottish about how slow it was compared to modern airplanes.

Some things never change, he thought.

"Moira," he said by way of greeting, as the illustrious Dr. MacTaggert came into view.  A renowned scientist in the field of genetics, she was also one of the foremost scientists in the recent field of mutants, though she'd quickly dominated it with her prior knowledge and friendship with several mutants.  Rahne was her foster daughter, since the poor wolf-girl was an orphan.  And she and Professor Xavier had been... very close... a long time ago.  And then of course... there was her son.  But no one here had any desire to bring up those particular details right now.

Moira MacTaggert was a middle-aged woman not much older than Professor X (not that anyone at the Institute actually knew his true age) with russet-red hair that fell around her still pretty features.  Her green eyes were bright and piercing and took in everything immediately.  She was dressed much as Beast was.  Professionally in a white lab coat, no knick-nacks, no jewelry.  She was very serious about her work.

Their second guest slid out of the small plane only a few moments behind Dr. MacTaggert.  Dr. Patronete was a rising name among the circles of geneticists.  His assistance from Beast to understand the mutant community had been instrumental in his research and study.  He was, of course, using his knowledge to cure the public's fears that mutants were dangerous, and as such he was a welcome friend at the Institute, though he rarely visited.

"Good to see you're not doing sick, bigfoot," said Patronete, shaking hands warmly with Hank, who chuckled.

"Indeed.  I've been most fortunate," he said, as always ignoring the nickname that Patronete had tagged onto him.  A little reminder of their first meeting, when he and his colleagues had mistaken him for the legendary sasquatch and thrust him up in a convex reverse polarity cage.

"We should get started roight away," said Moira, as always taking charge.  "But... first I'd like to see Rahne".  Professor Xavier nodded his head, and the four of them rode the elevator up to the medical lab.  On route, the Professor told them all he knew, Hank filling in some of the more technical areas that flew over his head.  His expertise lay not in science and math, but in people.

The quarantined ward was their first visit, of course, where most of the sick lay.  Including little Rahne, who lay unconscious like the other students.  Thus far no lesions had formed, but her small form was still wracked with coughs.  And dark bruise marks had formed under her eyes and along her skin, and would soon break out into the characteristic lesions of the disease.

The med lab was quickly taken over by Moira, Patronete, and Hank, who had no end of questions and ideas concerning this virus.  Professor X felt he had done the right thing by calling them here.  Thankfully, he'd been able to ascertain, there had been no outbreaks of the virus on Muir Island, according to Moira.  That, coupled with some phone calls to Alex and Warren, confirmed that there was no outbreaks had been reported in New York City or Florida.  Thus, it seemed it was only in Bayville for the moment.  Hopefully a cure could be found before things got worse.

"Charles?" came a voice, startling him out of his reverie, and he turned to see Moira analyzing Hank's work, trying to catch his attention without turning away from the work.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I know it's a little much to ask, but do you think that you can get us some coffee?  I think jet lag is starting to catch up to me," she said, massaging the back of her neck with her free hand.

"I can handle that," stated Beast, starting to make his way to the door.  Moira grabbed his lab coat gently.

"'fraid not Blue-Boy, I need you here to understand what you've done so far.  Besides," she added with a smile towards Xavier.  "Charlie here knows how I like my coffee best."

"Indeed," replied Professor Xavier, turning his wheelchair and making his way to the kitchen.  It was the last comment he heard however, that made his cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Charlie?" asked Hank.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ororo had seen much in her life.  She had seen suffering, she had seen death, she had seen mankind's evil in almost every shape and form.  She had lived in a small village without modern medicine, where people had caught the most obscure or simple diseases and died, and her powers as a living Goddess could not save them.  But she'd been hardened by her experience, and tempered, like a fine blade that had passed through fire.  But in the quiet of the night, sometimes, she could still see all those sick people, dying, reaching out, asking her to save them.  And she had been afraid.

Now, it all came rushing back to her.

The still unnamed Morlock led Ororo to an isolated part of the sewers near the edge of Bayville.  It was a wide, older tunnel, completely dry since this part of the city was either in ruins or abandoned.  And there, lying on the ground, were the Morlocks.

And they were very sick.

Morlocks lay on the ground on makeshift and stolen sleeping bags, mattresses, pillows, whatever could be found to keep them comfortable.  Several of their number were moving to bring water from she hoped was a pure source, since sewer water was of course out of the question.  And down in the freezing cold tunnels of the Bayville sewer system, there was no protection from the ravages of winter, and many of the Morlocks were shivering, their skin pale and their teeth chattering.  Spyke was moving among them, setting up some of his trademark flaming spikes and ramming them into the ground nearby to try and keep them warm.

"Evan!" she cried out, rushing over towards him, letting the wind carry her over the prone forms of the sick Morlocks.

"Auntie O?!  What're you doing here?" he asked, as they gave each other a brief, tender hug.  It had been almost three months since they'd last seen one another, after all.  But the situation was serious and they broke their hug almost immediately.

"I came to help.  We know about the sickness..."

"It spread to the Institute?" he asked, crouching down next to a sickly woman with purple bangs and lesions already forming on her skin.

"Most of us are sick already," she replied.

"Is... is there a cure?  You guys found a cure right?  I mean, Beast is smart he must've found something by now," he said, glancing up at her.  But his hopes died when he saw her face.  Saw the little sigh that escaped her, saw the little shake of her head.

"Spyke!  I have the medicines!" shouted Lucid, appearing down one of the sewage drains.  He held in his shirt a whole smattering of pills and ointments purloined from a nearby drugstore.  He rushed over towards Spyke, but tripped and was sent sprawling, and all manner of plastic bottles and packages were scattered everywhere.

"Careful Lucid!" shouted Spyke, grabbing one such bottle before it rolled off down a sewer drain.  "We're going to need these!"

"I'm sorry," he said, subdued.  He immediately began to gather up what he'd dropped, then placed them in a small pile next to Spyke.

"Yeah, so am I," replied Evan sincerely.  "Just... you know how things have been.  Stress is getting to me."

"Evan," said Ororo.  "We need to get the sick to the Institute.  We can find a cure there, but we have to keep this contagion from spreading any further.  Where's Callisto?"

"Unavailable," replied Evan.  "I'm their leader for the moment.  I can give the order, but they won't like it."

"But you know the medical facilities the Institute has.  Better chance for them there," she argued.

"I know," he said, sighing.  He straightened up, reaching over to a nearby wall and picking up the iron staff that had been resting their earlier.  He lifted it up and brought it down with a loud iron 'clang' that reverberated throughout the tunnel.  All Morlocks instantly turned their attention to Spyke.  "Listen up!  We're moving the sick to the Xavier Institute to get them better medical care.  I know how you all feel about the surface dwellers, but these are fellow mutants.  I swear to you all you will be cared for.  And we have a better chance of beating this disease up there than down here.  Anyone able bodied, grab those who cannot walk and start heading down the east tunnel.  Calliban," he said, turning to the pale, monotone Morlock who'd first led Ororo here.  "You lead them.  You know the way.  Follow the signal of Berzerker if you get lost."

"Understood," replied Calliban dully.

And so the Morlocks prepared to head to the surface, to accept the aid of surface dwellers.  Had Callisto still been in charge, such a thing might never have happened, for the Morlocks were a proud, strong and independent people.  Her second in command was too soft, some whispered.  Though these had been the few who had not seen how he'd fought for them, against the prejudice of surface-dwellers.

"Auntie O, I need a hand," said Evan, beckoning the Windrider to follow him as he made his way further down the line of sick.  "Can you grab Torpid?  She's light, you can probably carry her on your own."

Ororo nodded, bending down and tenderly lifting up the little girl with brown hair Evan had called Torpid.  Ororo recognized her immediately, her big hands and gloves were very distinct.  She'd been at the alley fight against Duncan and the other mutant-haters.  Ororo had only caught a glimpse of Torpid's powers, so she carefully avoided making contact with her covered skin, much as she would for Rogue.  She was so terribly light in her hands.  Like all the fat and muscle had wasted away from her body, leaving only skin and bones.  Skin covered in green lesions... marks of the virus.  Evan made his way besides Ororo, carrying in his arms another one of the plague victims.

Callisto herself. 

**Author's Notes:**

And my favorite underdog mutants, the Morlocks, finally make their appearance.  For the record, the healthy Morlocks are: Spyke, Lucid and Calliban.  All others are sick.  And yes, there's your Evolized Moira MacTaggert.  And Dr. Patronete as well.  You remember him, right?  The nice guy scientist from 'Retreat'?  Well, he did say he wanted to learn more about mutants.  More to come soon.

Todd fan: Living in Middleverse really messed the poor fool up.  Ah well.  Glad you liked the Sabertooth scenes.  He's got plenty more coming up so fret yet not.

Son of Logan and Ororo: From what I hear, he got infected and that lasted a really long time, but he died saving Senator Kelly from some attack or other.  In the comics, that's where Kelly turned around and started accepting mutants as people.  The only people I know for sure who died of the Legacy virus are Colossus and Moira.

Rogue14: Stop that!  I hate short reviews like that that just say write more!  Tell me what you like/hate!!  So I can make more meaningful author replies!

Comet-hime: Blame the mind!  My mind is scattered, and since I already know my plot I'm mixing up the timeline!  Sometimes I think I write something before I actually write it!  I'm insane!  AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!  Glad you like kick-ass X23.  More of her to come.

Snitter in Rivendell: I don't mean to brag (okay maybe a little) but you give me any character other than Jean, Havok, or Gambit... and I can make you like them.  Its all in delivery.  I can do the same with a fight scene.  Just give me two characters and the winner, and I'll write it out.  I like writing fights.  They're so much fun.

Elrohirthewriter: Also must've been before Moira met the politican husband fellow, who reminds me of Graydon Creed from what I saw in TAS.  Well thanks for the info, it clears up a few things.  I'll try and keep Moira as IC as possible, considering she's new to Evo.

Gambit316: Beyond Evolution is up, running, and open for business.  Denaill is even working with me to update the character profiles with some new (slightly less important) information.  Glad you like the story as it's going.

JustanObsessedFan: Oh don't worry, your precious Toddykins will be fine.  Or not.  Maybe I'll flip a coin, heads he lives, tails he dies.  Muwahahahahaha!  Glad you like the frequent updates.  I hope it compensates for my grammar/spelling errors and lack of meaningful content.

Optic Red: It is a good website, isn't it?  More power to Denaill and the other brilliant staff (minus myself) for creating the beauty that is Beyond Evo.  And actually I based that scene with Scott on a fan art I saw a while back, him crying crimson tears.  I wish I could find it again.

The Rogue Witch: Well sorry you didn't like X23's line but it seemed appropriate to me... at the time at least.  Ah well, my mistake if she was just a smidgen OOC.  And yeah I'm glad you recognized my efforts to make the three Weapon Xee's into reluctant comrades.  I think I remember who Cecilia is now.  She sounds kinda like someone I saw on this Spider-Man/X-Men TAS crossover episode.

Gambi316: Wow, is that all?  Well then, hmmm.  Jean'll die soon enough.  But I have plans for the redheaded bitch.  I can't just up and have lightning strike her.  As for Gambit, Pyro, and Magneto, they'll be showing up soon enough.  Next chapter, promise.  And glad you are enjoying the witty banter and camaraderie among the Weapon Xee's.


	8. VIII

A manhole slid up, almost directly in front of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  Thankfully, in the dark of night, no one paid any attention.  Cars rarely passed that way anymore, seeking routes that did not lead them near the 'filthy mutant school.'

It made it easier for the Morlocks.

Those not sick carried those who were, the larger carrying the smaller, or supporting those unable to stand up completely straight.  None spoke a word, save Evan and his aunt, issuing orders to organize the rag-tag group.  Thus it was that they made themselves into the Institute, immediately greeted as they were by Dr. Patronete and Roberto.  Fortunately Evan recognized the red-bearded scientist from his time out in the California forests, and under his instructions guided the sick Morlocks to the infirmary.

And thus the sick numbers grew.  

Those Morlocks with obvious symptoms of the disease, primarily the green lesions on the skin, were immediately sealed into the quarantined medical ward.  All others were immediately checked and double-checked for signs of the virus from blood samples.  Unfortunately, most of them were also sick, and the med lab was quickly filling up.  Thus, Professor Xavier was forced to call on a drastic measure.

The Danger Room.

Under careful isolation, the students and guests sick were moved as quickly possible to the new medical ward, leaving the labs behind.  Those in the lower ward were moved up as well, all lumped together.  The pathway was sealed off to those still healthy, and medical suits issued to those working with the ill.  Unfortunately, it was late, and many were tired.  A great many nearly dropped off on their feet, and thus were sent to either their own rooms or some guest quarters located below.

Finally, amidst all the confusion, order was finally restored.  The sick were carefully isolated, the healthy safe.  And the ill were being cared for by those still active.

Unfortunately, only one Morlock had not caught the disease that had otherwise completely gripped their tribe, and was unsuitable for any sort of bio-suit to allow him to help them.

Evan Daniels.

Ororo and Roberto had also fallen ill assisting the Morlocks, and had joined the others below in the Danger Room.  Thankfully, no others had caught the virus.  But things were growing worse by the minute.

It was understandable, of course, that while the ill lay unconscious in the Danger Room, most of the uninfected could not catch even a few winks that sleepless night.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankfully the night passed with little incident, though a few more of the sick had begun to develop lesions the virus had not worsened beyond that.

However, a new problem had developed.

Today was a school day.

Professor Xavier sat in his office, deciding how best to deal with the new situation.  Like the others, he hadn't had much sleep.  The steamy coffee cup resting near his hand was helping, but not nearly enough as he would have liked.

To simply call into Bayville High and excuse every single student as sick was simply unthinkable.  Nor could he say nothing.  And far worse would be the scenario where he told them what was going on.  He could easily picture the panic and chaos it would bring.  Worse, it would only bring about yet more anti-mutant fear and hatred.

Yet, in truth, what choice did he have?

Reluctantly, Professor Xavier picked up the phone and dialed the number of the Bayville Mayor.  Edward Kelly.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dr. McCoy?"

"Yes?" he said, raising his shaggy blue head and glancing over at Dr. MacTaggert.  She seemed unusually pale for some reason, and her hands jittered.

"Could you come here and double-check my work...?"

"Certainly," he said, knuckling his way over and leaning over to examine her results.  And then, his eyes wide, he double-checked.

"Oh my stars..." he murmured.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey..." said Kitty, sitting down on the couch next to Lance.  He smiled, but it was a thin smile.  He was tired from such a long night.  He hadn't slept much, and it apparent.  Neither had Kitty, from the look of it.  "Got some coffee..."

"You're an angel," he said, taking the coffee and sipping it down.

She giggled, but like his smile it was forced.

"Think everything's going to be okay?" he asked softly, glancing up at her through his dark brown bangs.

"Of course it will," she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "Hank and the Professor and that MacTaggert lady will totally find a cure, everyone'll be up and healthy by Monday, and we can get on with our normal lives," she said softly, smiling at him.

"Normal lives?" he asked, with a smirk.  "Kitty since when have you and I had a normal life?  After Northbrook I mean."

"You know what I mean silly," she said, smacking him playful on the stomach, which he took good-naturedly.  He wouldn't have from anyone else.  Lance didn't like being in close contact with anyone, unless it was through his fists.  Kitty was the only exception, and boy was she ever an exception.

She proved the point by resting partially atop of him, her head resting against his chest as she closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

"You make a nice pillow," she remarked, still weary from a restless night.

"Glad I'm some use around here," Lance said, sipping some coffee with his free hand, his other lightly wrapped around Kitty's shoulder.  Despite his best efforts, he hadn't been much help in the medical ward the other day.  He'd tried, for the sake of his fellow Brotherhood, to help.  But everything he did he seemed to screw up.  He brought the wrong medicine.  He kept people too cold.  He kept people too hot.  He nearly spilled some blood samples.  Eventually Mr. McCoy had been forced to suggest that they already had enough student volunteers with Tabby and Bobby to help, and he'd been politely steered towards the door.

Lance had resisted the urge to slam the door on his way out.  Mostly because when he did that, it tended to register on the richter scale, and the last thing his sick friends and pseudo-enemies needed now was the walls caving in on them.

And so the two of them lay side by side, comfortable in each other's presence.  And Lance Alvers felt appreciated.  Like someone actually needed him.  In a way even the Brotherhood had never needed him.  When Mystique had run things he'd just been another soldier in the great mutant war.  And of course before that he'd been 'just another worthless orphan.'

It was nice to be needed.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He's burning up...!" said Bobby over the intercom.  "I've tried extra ice packs under his cot but its like he's got magma in his bloodstream."

"Keep doing what you can," said Hank, turning away from the intercom and switching it off.  "I was afraid of this."

"So our theory was correct," stated Dr. Patronete gravely.

"How long do we have?" asked Hank.

"Taking an educated guess, based on when you said Kurt first started showing symptoms..." said Moira, taking a moment to do some rough calculations.  "I'd say that it'll be irreversible in less than twenty-four hours for Mr. Wagner and possibly Mr. Madrox.  Not too long after that..."

"Don't," said Hank, cutting her off.  "I shouldn't like to think about it."

"We'll do everything we can," said Moira, giving him a reassuring pat on his massive shoulder before returning to her work.

Thus the three of the most brilliant scientific minds in the entire world focused their minds on a mystery that did not seem overly eager to be solved.  Professor Xavier joined them briefly, telling them that the Institute had, as they'd suspected, been placed under quarantine by Mayor Kelly.  However, at Xavier's request he had decided not to alert the public yet of the particulars of their predicament.  He had agreed that the chaos that would ensue was not something to look very good, either for him, the city, or the mutants (though the last Kelly cared not for in the least).

"Anything else?" asked Moira, when Xavier had finished explaining the situation to them all.

"Nothing," he replied.  "I've contacted Warren, Alex and Danielle, but they are free of any symptoms of the virus.  They'll be calling back if anything develops.  I could not reach anyone else."

"Any sign of Wolverine?" asked Hank.

"None," said Professor Xavier.  "If I have some time later I believe I will use Cerebro to try and locate him.  Perhaps he is near a phone and I can contact him."

"Go ahead Professor, we've got things under control here," said Moira with a strained smile.  Professor X nodded, wheeling out of the room and towards Cerebro.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No one noticed his arrival.

A plane might have been seen passing over head in Bayville.  With an international airport nearby, it was not an uncommon thing to see in the sky.  But this was much smaller than any airplane.  Barely the size of a small car, or perhaps a person.  And everybody knew people couldn't fly.

It was a metal sphere, perhaps eight feet in diameter.  It rushed through the air with incredible speed, passing right over Bayville's towers and over the watery bay for which it was named, until it came to hover over the Xavier Institute.  Then it slowed, dipping down, to land with surprising delicacy on the grassy front lawn.  That is when its uppermost section slid open, as the sphere folded around itself and lay flat against the ground.

A dark figure stepped out, wearing red armor that would've looked out of place in this modern era.  Something perhaps better suited for the medieval knights of England and France.  He didn't so much step as floated out, landing on the grass and peering at the Institute as if it held all the mysteries of life.  Mysteries he meant to have, and understand.

His companion was no where near as subtle.

"Alroight!  Finally here... time to... ackt!" came a voice that made Magneto groan, as his red-headed companion tripped over the metal of their transport orb and came crashing down onto the grass.  Not in the least bit daunted, the bright-eyed and slightly disheveled figured pulled himself to his feet, dusting off his bright and flashy clothes.

"Alroighty then.  Well I suppose we'll 'ave to see what's goin' on here, eh Magneto?" he asked, absent-mindedly playing with the lighter in his hand.  Flicking it open, flicking it closed.

"Indeed," he replied, cursing himself mentally for ever considering Pyro as a suitable Acolyte.  He was good in a fight, yes.  The power to control fire was immeasurably valuable.  But otherwise he was... flaky, to say the least.  Thinking of his Acolytes, another gesture and a second orb descended from the sky, though it was of a much smaller size.  Only one person could possibly fit into it comfortably.  Magneto brought it along with him, keeping it hovering near his shoulder like a great bird.  Eric hoped that his friend Charles had some sort of sick ward, for the orb he'd made for the sick individual inside was air-tight, and had only a limited supply of oxygen.

The doors to the Institute opened as if automated, and he walked inside.  He needed to find his children.

**Author's Notes:**

And now things are really heating up.  Oh, the virus is lethal you say?  Twenty-four hours until people start to die?  Muwahahahahaha!  Nothing like a deadline to motivate people.  Or make the sick and not-sick realize their own mortality and have a lot of reflection, which is what next chapter will be primarily composed of.  Obviously I had to move everyone to the Danger Room because, come on, there's tons of sick now.  For those confused, the non-sick mutants at the Institute are, as of now: Professor X, Beast, Magneto, Pyro, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Avalanche, Scarlet Witch, Spyke, Boom-Boom, and Iceman.  All others are in various stages of the virus.  And cute little Lancitty scene I simply had to put in, a little downtime from all the running around trying to find a cure or being sick.

Nessie6: Like marvel, I generally think my stories will involve as little killing as possible.  I mean, out of all the characters who has ever permanently died?  Thunderbird maybe.  But don't get me wrong, I do have plans for two, possibly three character deaths in this story or the next couple of sequels.  Oh and by the way... my view on Gambit has improved since TAS, when all he did was speak in third person and make awful card puns.  But I still don't like him.

Todd fan: Glad you like the mutant scientists.  Hehehe, and glad you're liking the poking fun at the resident wheelchair telepath.  I couldn't resist, since he's always just sitting there so dignified.  I shall keep up the good work, you just keep up the good reviews.

GryfinndorSeeker: Well there's your Magneto.  He'll be joining the others shortly.  But glad you like my portrayal of the Morlocks, Ororo, and Evan.  I rather like how he's changed into semi-wolverine Spyke.  Not the sort of person you cross in a dark alley, ne?  And yes, the coffee line was of course to add humor to my story.  I hate pure angst fics.

Gambi316: Well, by request, there are the three you wanted.  I did briefly consider doing the dialogue at the end of chapters, but I quickly realized it would sound almost identical to the banter from Nullification.  That's the only reason I left it out.  Besides, no one has guessed who's behind all of this, so I'm keeping the mystery alive methinks.

DoubleL27: *ding* You win a prize!  Don't worry, now that all are gathered I have plenty more writing to do of couples, sick and healthy students.  And I was kidding about the coin flip.  I only kill characters as it works with the story.  Despite the temptation certain characters (*coughJeanRemyAlexcough*) give me to just strike them dead with lightning.

Snitter in Rivendell: Clearly you have not read my prior story 'African Fire.'  To be blunt, yes there is Callisto/Evan.  In fact, I have plans for perhaps the future involving an OC son between the two of 'em.  Glad you're enjoying the portrayal of Moira, Patronete, and the Morlocks.

Sandoz: Glad you enjoyed that.  Thought it was coffee, not tea.  Glad you like the imagery, and like I recommended to Snitter in Rivendell, take a look at my prior story 'African Fire' if you want to see more stuff like that.  Its full of Callisto/Evan and the underdog mutant Morlocks.

The Rogue Witch: Don't feel bad, everybody forgot about him.  Poor fellow.  Most people probably forgot about Colonel Wraith too.  It is the way of such minor characters.  But I give them their chances to shine.  Glad you enjoyed the introduction of the Morlocks.

Cookies-n-cream08: Is answer question?  Recall if you will that the Acolytes more or less disbanded after the first episode in season four.  But of course I try to give a little time to all the characters.  Besides, Sabertooth's already gotten plenty.

Comet-hime: Yes, yes Hank is going to need plenty of help.  All of them are.  TabbyAmaraness to come, promise.  Un-cross my heart and hope to die (and be reincarnated as a butterfly).  Yeah I know, poor Morlocks.

Rogue14: Ah, I see.  Well okay then.  Yes I'm writing I'm writing.  Fast as I can sweetie, I promise.


	9. IX

Cold.

Her cheek lay pressed against the cold glass, watching them.  How frail they looked, how disturbed were their expressions, even in sleep.  Todd lay comfortably, not moving, his visage the clammy green of someone already dead, though the nearby monitor confirmed this was not the case with a still steady beep-beep-beep.  Pietro, lying next to him, was nearly the complete opposite.  Never a sound sleeper to begin with, with too much excessive energy, the white-haired speedster twitched and fidgeted endlessly, even as she continued to watch both of them.

Wanda sighed deeply, her breath heating up the cool glass and covering it with condensation.  She, like most of the others at the Institute, had been made aware of the latest discovery by the resident scientists.  That in roughly twenty-four hours, the virus was going to start killing them, one by one.  Those infected first were likely to die first.

Which meant, if a rough time schedule was followed, Todd would die very shortly after Kurt and Jamie.

"I've got some things to say," said Wanda, speaking to the glass and, through it, to her unconscious brother.  Her eyes grew moist as she started, as she unconsciously fiddled her hands in her lap.  "I... I guess I should start with you, Pietro.  Listen, I... I know I was angry when I first saw you at the Brotherhood house.  I know I did some things I regret, and for the life of me I can't remember why I was just... so... so angry, back then.  So I'm sorry, Pietro.  I'm sorry I never... got the chance to be a good sister to you."

Wanda's gaze then shifted from Pietro to Todd, her teammate and... something else.  "Toad... er, Todd.  I'm sorry to you as well.  You've done nothing but be nice to me, ever since I moved in to the Brotherhood boarding house with you.  You've... you've even risked your life to save mine.  And I never said it before, but I'm grateful.  I..." and she trailed off, clenching and unclenching her hands.  Little objects around the small room shifted and pulsated, but thankfully nothing moved or exploded.  Suddenly Wanda growled, slamming her fists against the thick, unbreakable glass as she glared down at Todd and Pietro.

"Damnit, don't you die on me!  I need you!  If you die I swear I'll follow you both down to hell and kick your butts!"

A nearby tray suddenly lifted up to answer her burst of anger, moved by her unconscious hex powers, as had often been the case when she'd been younger and her powers not fully controlled.  Unfortunately the tray was heading right towards the back of her head at high velocity.

A metallic hum vibrated through the air, and the tray stopped, flying back through the air to land back where it had originated.  Wanda, startled, turned... and saw him.  He'd removed his red helmet, holding it under his arm as he stepped into the room.

"Father..." she said, startled.  Then, slightly nervous, she added "How long have you been there?" she asked, sounded for all the world like a girl who'd had her hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Long enough," he replied carefully.

The Master of Magnetism had long spent much of his life preparing for just about anything that should come.  As he'd once said to Charles on his doomed Asteroid M, he'd been a realist, and he was prepared for anything that life sent his way.

Except this.

His teenaged daughter hugging him, clinging to his waist and sobbing openly against the cold red metal of his armor.  But Magneto was not as cold as the steel he controlled, as many thought he was.  He did care for his children, the only living remind of Magda.  So it was that he gently wrapped an arm around Wanda's shoulders and let her cry her tears out.  They stood like that a long time, father and daughter, taking comfort in one another's presence.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow, cool... I ain't never seen a television that big!" stated John as he landed with a heavy plunk onto the same couch Kitty and Lance had been occupied moments before, startling both of them to full wakefulness.  Both glanced over at him with a mixture of embarrassment, confusion, and surprise.

"Pyro?  What are you doing here?" asked Lance, shifting purposefully away from the eccentric pyromaniac as he flipped through the channels on the X-Mansion's wide-screen TV at a speed rivaled only by that of Pietro.

"Wot?  I'm not welcome 'round 'ere?" he asked in mock surprise.  Or maybe he was serious.  With Pyro one could never tell.  As if to prove their point he gave his short, characteristic laugh.  "Nah, s'alright.  Just stopped by with Mags and Gambit, and he said to 'bugger off' so I says 'fine, maybe I will!'  Nobody appreciatin' good ol' Pyro 'round 'here," he added, trailing off into incoherently mumbling.  "I swear one day I'll just burn down the whole..."

"Alright alright, jeez... just curious," replied Lance, eager to shut the red-head up.

"Wait, Magneto is here?  I gotta go talk to the Professor," said Kitty, phasing through the back of the couch (and right through Pyro) and making a dash down the hallway to find her bald mentor.

"'Wot the bloody hell?" asked John, tilting his head and watching as the petite mutant vanished out of his sight.  He double checked his chest, tapping his hand against it to make sure it was real and solid.  "Cool power that Sheila has...," he remarked, again going back to flipping channels.

Lance stood up, not wanting to endure his presence any longer than necessary.

"Alroight!  I knew it'd be on!" remarked John with a characteristic laugh as he tossed the remote aside (nearly hitting a priceless vase as he did) and settled back to enjoy his favorite show.  Curious, Lance took a look, then groaned deeply.  He should've known.

The Crocodile Hunter.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rogue managed a disgusted grunt as she saw who the latest addition to the Danger Room sick room was.  The shifty swamp rat from Louisiana.  Magneto and Pyro must've picked him up on the way here.  So it was that the unconscious Cajun thief was so conveniently laid down on the cot right next to hers.  She swore under her breath, but it was mostly for show.

She was a little worried about him, after all.

He wasn't the nicest of fellow's she'd ever known in her life, but he had tried to help her in his own, twisted little way.  Weakly she reached down, running her hand over the white covers drawn over her, over her pants pocket which contained the two objects she treasured most.  A square of silk and, wrapped in it, a playing card.  The Queen of Hearts, to be precise.  Remy's Lady Luck.

And he was a darn good kisser... she thought, then abruptly looked down before anyone noticed her blushing.  A wave of coughs wracked her slender frame, and Rogue was partially grateful, even if it left her winded and weak.  The blush could be attributed to the illness.  Thinking of the illness, Rogue lifted the sleeve of her right arm.  Yup, the lesion was growing, and it was getting more painful with each passing minute.

As her annoying little brother Kurt would say: that's just vunderbar, she thought sarcastically.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tabitha Smith sat at Amara's side.  The dark-haired girl was unconscious, her body thankfully free of lesions, but it was only a matter of time before they started to develop.  Before... before they might lose her.

Before Tabitha might lose her.

Tabitha sighed deeply, frustrated and confused. If someone had told her, three years ago, maybe even two year ago, she was going to fall in love, she'd have laughed in the persons face. Love wasn't real. Her parents certainly hadn't been in love. They hadn't loved her either. Her dad hadn't at least.  Her mom had... up until a few months ago.  It'd been New Years, actually.  Tabby had been with her right up until the end... when the lung cancer had ended her life.

And now it was happening all over again, with someone else she cared about.  It was happening to Amara.

After Tabby's mom had passed on, leaving her everything (legally, since her dad was still thankfully in jail) and passing her on to Xavier to be her guardian, Tabby had come back to the Institute.  About the same time Jubilee and Rahne had.  No one but Xavier knew about what had happened.

Just like Amara didn't know how she felt about her.  How being with her, just sitting and talking with her, was enough to help her get through a day.  How her laugh sent tingles down Tabby's spine.  How with her, she could finally drop her mask and actually be really happy.  Not put on some front, poke fun and pull pranks, and say things she didn't mean.  Just be herself.

And now she was about to lose the one she loved, Amara, before she could tell her.

Tabby stretched out a hand, cursing the yellow bio-suit that kept her separated them from properly touching.  A necessary evil she had to endure because of the virus.  But still... it pained her.  And she could not stop the hot tears that poured from her eyes and steamed the front of her suit, obscuring her vision.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But sometimes having told someone you cared for them did not make it any easier to lose them.  Such was the case with Amanda and Kurt.

Amanda refused to leave his side.  The great Beast of the Institute, Hank McCoy, capable of uprooting redwood trees with his bare hands, could not move Amanda from her boyfriend's side.  She stayed there tirelessly, working to ease the blue-furred boy's discomfort and do whatever she could to fight the contagion that threatened his life.

"Don't die on me, Kurt..." she whispered, stroking his forehead with a wet cloth to try and cool him down.  It wasn't much, considering how hot he was starting to get, but every little bit helped.  "You remember when we first met?" she asked, thought he was unconscious.  She was mostly talking to herself, to ease the pain of going through this.  Seeing her once strong and healthy boyfriend shrivel to fur and bones.  "I mean, I first really met you, my lovable fuzzy elf?  You saved my life that night.  I'm going to return the favor, right now, and save yours.  No matter what it takes.  Alright?"

The only reply was the steady beep-beep-beep of the monitor nearby, and the very shallow inhalation and exhalation as Kurt breathed.  A gentle hand rested on Amanda's covered shoulder.

"Come on Amanda... you need to get some rest," came Scott's tired voice.

"I'm not leaving his side," she replied, again wetting and wringing out the cloth, wiping it against Kurt's forehead.

"You won't do him much good if you collapse from fatigue.  Come on Amanda... you need some rest."

"You wouldn't say that if this was Jean here, would you?  Why aren't you at her side?  Don't you care about her?" asked Amanda angrily.  Scott flinched, but he recognized that her anger was out of fatigue and frustration.  Such outbursts were beginning to grow more common as things worsened.  Hank had even shattered his coffee mug, though he'd been much embarrassed afterwards when he'd cleaned it up.

"Of course I care about Jean," he said simply.  "I care about her the same as you care about Kurt.  And I was just at her side, a moment ago, doing what I can.  But you didn't sleep last night.  Amanda don't argue with me you're on the verge of collapse.  And if you fall, who'll take care of Kurt then?  Go upstairs to one of the guest rooms, and get some sleep.  I promise I'll keep watch over Kurt until you get back."

"You promise?" she asked softly.  He nodded, and reluctantly she did as he suggested, finishing up and making her way out of the Danger Room to disinfect the suit and get some much needed rest.

Scott sat down nearby, glancing at Kurt as he sighed.  How he envied Atlas at that moment, the titan who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.  That burden was nothing to compared to the weight of command, or so it seemed sometimes to him.  Even worse when those under his command were his friends, his family, and his loved ones.  And through this, the only small comfort he had was that his brother, Alex, was not here to contract the virus.

"Thank Heaven for small mercies," he muttered, folding his arms and lying back.  He too was tired, but other's needed him right now.

**Author's Notes:**

Mostly a lot of introspective into the thoughts of the characters.  As someone pointed out, I'd been neglecting that in favor of moving the plot along, so I set up this whole chapter to provide some insight.  Mostly the couples of Evo, of course, concerned about their sick significant other.  And of course a quick in-slot of Pyro to lighten the mood a  bit.  Actually I wanted to do some other show but I couldn't think of anything appropriate.  Blame Eixid.  The show he was watching was a subtle nod to a chapter of her story 'Here's to the Good Life.'  The silk square Rogue was fiddling was from 'Nullification.'  Gambit used it to give the untouchable girl a kiss, that's why she treasures it.  For those confused, Tabitha's mother died shortly after the events set in 'I Dream of a Blue Christmas,' so she now lives at the Institute, and Professor X controls any income until she's eighteen (she's seventeen as of this story).

Sandoz: Of course it's a big surprise.  I thought you couldn't stand when people wrote Lancitty.  I thought you were a Kurtty fan.  Of course everybody loves Pyro, he's just so... so frickin' crazy.  And yeah, as you can see from above, it was Gambit.  Deaths to come soon enough.

Elrorhirthewriter: Except maybe Li'landra (or however you spell it) of the Shi'ar.  I think Moira ended it sometime while Professor X was at war.  That's the impression I get from the TAS scenes.  But yeah 'Charlie' definitely has no luck with human women.  Or even that one mutant girl he tried.  Your muse is nothing to me!  I fear it not!  Oh and yes, Mystique will make a brief appearance next chapter, promise.

DoubleL27: Oh believe me I intend to.  I hate pure angst stories so expect more cute moments to take you away from it.  And Kurt may not die (then again he might) but Sam and Toad and Jamie all got sick around the same time... maybe one of them'll buy the farm?  Hehehe.

Rogue14: I'd love to but my schedule just got hectic as all hell.  This is my last update for quite a while to come, unfortunately.

Nessie6: Are you psychic?  Did you see that was going to happen to Magneto?  You're a mutant!  Schizophrenic, dearie.  And I'm not sure if that applies to him, since I keep getting conflicting stories about what it means.  But he's definently a pyromaniac.  Thanks for liking the accent.  His is easiest for me to do, since my Dad used to live in Australia and speaks in a similar manner.

Snitter in Rivendell: Blame Sandoz.  She totally knows what makes Lance tick, and her writing is addictive.  Oh come on, Scott has improved since Season Two, he's relaxed into his role of team leader.  But oh yes, plenty of Amanda angst.  And not necessarily Kurt.  The virus progresses at different rates for different people.

Bleedingmoon89: How's that for more Todd?  He's kinda unconscious at the moment so I can't do much with him, but his baby cake's thinkin' about him.  Isn't that sweet?  No I've not read the Hot Zone, but perhaps when this is all over I shall.

Todd fan: *evil soothing doctor voice* Oh don't worry… Forge is sick but only a little… I mean… it's not like I plan to… KILL HIM!!  MUWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!.  Seriously though, he is sick, but just enough to be put into the ward with a little headache.

UnknownSource: No reason has been established yet why some got sick and the other's didn't.  However, the virus is now airborne, so they need to keep isolated from one another so they don't spread it accidentally.  How did you know I was gonna write that next?!  You're psychic!  I'm surrounded by psychic mutants!!

Gambi316: Well, soon all will be revealed.  Maybe in another two… three chapters at most.  Unfortunately no more appearances from the Weapon Xee's… I'll leave it to you all to guess what is happening to them.  I am totally shocked no one has made the connection yet.

Ray1: Of course, here's Amanda.  She's my favorite human character so she gets plenty of mention in all of my stories.  But I can't give everyone all the screen time they want, all the time.  But don't worry… I have plans for her… Muwahahahahaha.

Comet-hime: Oh it's quite fatal.  After twenty-four hours there's no turning back, and then they start dying.  You know, perhaps I should kill Kurt just to prove everyone wrong!  Nah, I'm not that cruel… or am I?  And yes you little twit, TabbyAmaraness here for you.  Enough to satisfy you through the rest of the story.

Taineyah: Plenty more to come, Taineyah.  Keep your eyes open for updates, they fly like hotcakes and I'd hate for you to miss any.


	10. X

"And in local news, this terrible new plague grips the heart of..."

Click.

"... a virus that seems to focus only on the mutant population..."

Click.

"... refuse to comment that the entire Xavier Institute, a haven for mutants, is..."

Click.

"... put into motion a full scale quarantine of the entire city of Bayville..."

"Goddamnit!" cursed Pyro, flicking the remote and shutting off the TV and marching off down some way deeper into the Institute.  "All I want is me favorite show.  I don't ask for much, really I don't.  But noooo... gotta 'ave all sorts of news on the tele!  News!  'oo gives a damn about what happening in Los Angeles?!  I'm in bloody New York!  An' I want me Crocodile Hunter!"

Suddenly John froze.  So did he.  His arch-rival of the X-Men.  The man against which he'd sworn terrible revenge (something he swore on a fairly regular basis).

Iceman.

They stood at opposite ends of the hallway, regarding one another quietly.  Neither made a sound, neither made a move.  Their hands rested at their sides.  It was like a stand off in some old Western movie.

"Well well well, wot do we 'ave here?" he asked, flicking his lighter idly with his hand, open... close... open... close.

"Dunno... what brings you here?" replied Bobby, icing up one of his hands, letting it glow with an eerie blue energy.

"Heh... I think I owe you something... Iceman," he said with a grin, flicking the lighter and lighting a flame the danced at his command.

"Oh yeah...?" Bobby replied, his body tense for a fight.  He'd been the psychotic little redhead before, after all.  He was confident he could take him again.  He didn't even have his flame-throwers this time.

Then John completely surprised Bobby by making his way over towards him and thrusting out his free right hand.  Bobby blinked, looking at it in surprise.

"Wot's a mattah?  You Americans don't shake 'ands anymore?" he asked, grabbing Bobby's free hand and giving it a nice, warm handshake.  Bobby still watched in confusion, though he dropped his icy glow.  "Wanted to say thanks.  Ya really pulled St. John out of a jam back in London, mate.  Didn't get a chance to properly say so in Egypt, too busy fightin' big statue's an all.  You understand."

"Thank me?  For what?" asked Bobby.

"Trying to stop that bloody huge spider, 'course!  Damn thing nearly ran me off tha road, but you and your mates were tryin' to stop us.  Good work," he added, slapping Bobby on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way.  Thought he was a bit too enthusiastic, and Bobby winced a little.

Then John grabbed his shirt and hauled him in close, holding up the lit lighter in front of the Iceman's face.  As he watches, the flames shifted, turning into a rather demonic face, which mirrored Pyro's movements with its mouth as he spoke next.

"But just a warnin'... don't ever been tryin' ta freeze me again, mate.  If there's one thing ol' Saint John hates... it's bein' cold.  Hehehehehe.  If ya do, I'll just have ta... ta _burrrrrrrrn_ ya," he cackled, his eyes glinting with a crazy inner light.

Bobby didn't even flinch, just grinned back, pointing his free hand and icing Pyro's fiery face, letting it drop to the ground next to them both and shatter.  "Anytime, anywhere, hot-head," he said.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And I say again.  We have no evidence yet that this virus is any sort of threat to the normal human population.  The quarantine of Bayville is, at the moment, only a temporary thing until things are properly put under control..."

"Somebody shut him up," grumbled Lance.

Scott obliged, standing up and flickin' the mute button on the television.  Now soundless, the mute Mayor Kelly continued his speech to the press about the quarantine of Bayville.

"News must've leaked," said Scott, glancing over at Professor X.

"Great... now everyone'll blame us.  Just like they do everything else," said Kitty, sitting on the windowsill next to Lance.

It was supposed to be a quiet gathering.  Just a quick break for everyone to grab some much needed lunch, relax, and then get back to work.  And it had been going well, until Hank suggested they watch the news.  It was on every channel.  Everyone was talking about the Mutant Plague.  Bayville had been quarantined by the military, and even some sentinels had been sent in around the border of the city.  No mutants were allowed out.  Alive at any rate.  Some of the citizens had started forming mobs, and even headed down into the sewers to burn out the mutant filth.  As it was, all the mutants in Bayville were safe in the Xavier Institute.

The security system had since been switched to a non-lethal setting, designed to scare and push back intruders rather than hurt them.

Outside of Bayville, things were not pleasant either.  Already reports of the virus were surfacing in other places.  Cairo, Tokyo, Los Angeles, even New York City.  Mutants were being rounded up and dragged off to medical centers.  If they were lucky.  Those that weren't were taken off by unruly mobs.  It was getting ugly out in the world.

"Still think mutants and humans can live in peace, Charles?" asked Eric idly, sipping some tea in his hands.  It was quite an odd sight, to be sure.  The Master of Magnetism, sipping tea like an Englishman, still dressed in his bright red armor.

Moira bristled at the comment but choose not to respond with a childish retort in defense of Charles, who made no reply.  She was used to them.  She knew well enough how Magneto felt about humans.  Heck, she's know him and Charles since before they'd split apart, what now felt like ages ago.  Instead she only finished off her salad, grabbed her plates and placed them on the counter with the others.

"I should head back and see if Patronete has found anything.  He'll be lost without a geneticist like me to help him."

"I'll be down shortly to assist you," said Charles, though he picked at his plate.  The newscast had killed his appetite.

The meal continued in silence.

That is, until Pyro and Iceman wandered in, bored.  And as any Acolyte who'd served under Magneto could've told them, a bored Pyro made Juggernaut on a rampage look like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.  And Bobby, well... his pranks were still legendary at the Institute, even if he had matured.  A little.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coughs continued to fill the house of one Irene Adler, the mutant sometimes known as Destiny.  Her quiet little home in the equally quiet little town of Caldecott, Mississippi.  She and Mystique lay together on her big queen bed.  Mystique had long since collapsed, unconscious, from the disease.  Going to a hospital was out of the question, Mystique wouldn't make it out alive.

The door to the bedroom opened, and in stepped the elderly form of Agatha Harkness.  Mystique had arrived with her before promptly collapsing on the front mat.  Irene and Agatha had helped her to bed, but they could do nothing to combat the contagion.

"Shouldn't you not be in here?" asked Irene, muffling another cough behind her hand.  She did not need eyes to see it was Agatha, she could tell easily enough by her footsteps.  Agatha never moved very fast.

"I have warded against disease," replied the elder witch, holding up a pouch hanging from her neck, filled with herbs.  Irene could smell them from across the room.  "Though my research has proved fruitless.  This disease is like nothing I or my fellows have ever seen before."

"Wonderful," replied Irene, coughing again into her hand, until she feared she was going to die of suffocation.  Besides her, Mystique squirmed painfully, her blue scales already covered in green marks.  And it was growing worse by the hour.  For both of them.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Venice was generally a quiet, peaceful city to be in when night fell.  Like most of Europe, crime was not as prominent as it was in America.  And though there was occasions when people chose to violate the law, these were far and few between.  Though policemen with machine guns at their hips didn't hurt.

Tonight, however, was not peaceful.

"It's a mutant!  Get 'im!" shouted the mob in Italian, followed by a string of cursed that would made a sailor blush red.

Jason Wyngarde, or Mastermind was he was more commonly known, ran as fast as he lethargic legs could carry him, ducking into an alleyway.  A coughing fit seized him and he all but choked himself to keep from making too much noise.  Noise that would draw the fatal attention of the mob and end his miserable life.  His illusions had failed him, his mind was too chaotic to properly focus his powers.  Thus, he was helpless.

Thus it was that he quickly found himself in a one way alley, and his only exit blocked by the mob.  He was mildly grateful, when the police pushed their way forward, weapons up and aimed right at his freakishly deformed body.  He could no longer conceal himself from them.

"Surrender at once, mutant!"

Mastermind slowly, hesitantly raised his hands, though this was as much to cover his face as it was to show he was unarmed and surrendering.

That was when it all happened.

The guns of the policemen suddenly shuddered, then snapped in half, both ends being flinged to either side of the alleyway.  And the uniformed cops themselves were thrust backwards, flying to land roughly amongst the mob.  A wall of fire suddenly rose in front of Mastermind, and the mob ran screaming in horror.  No one was more shocked than Mastermind.

It hadn't been him, so... who...?

The answer came from the direction he feared most.  From above.  He saw there hovering a figure, humanoid, its silhouette visible against the half-full moon as it descended down to meet him.  Mastermind cringed fearfully, half-expecting the power of Apocalypse.  Or worse, his former employer Magneto and Pyro.  That would certainly explain the fire.

To his surprise, it was neither of them.

It was a boy, no more than seventeen or eighteen years of age.  With dark blonde hair cut short and a small goatee gracing his thick, strong chin.  He had the look of an aristocrat, though his clothes were more those of a punk or goth.  He floated down to land gracefully in front of Mastermind, hands on his hips as he regarded the illusionist mutant.

Mastermind weakly drew on his illusions, trying to fool the boy and allow him a chance to escape.  His eyes glowed blue, buy the boy only laughed.

"Don't bother.  Even if you were at full strength... and I can clearly see you aren't... you're no match for me, old man," he stated in a commanding voice, with just a hint of a... Scottish accent?  Irish?  Mastermind couldn't place it.

"What... what do you want with me?" asked Mastermind, sinking down to rest on his side, coughing quietly as the strange made his way over to him and crouched down low, so they were eye-to-eye.  Those eyes were what scared Mastermind most.  They were the eyes of someone with power.

"I have a job for you," he said.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Careful!  That helmet isn't exactly fragile, and if he gets it off all bets are cancelled," grunted Fury, as his two guards hauled past their prisoner, tossing him in roughly with the others in quarantine.

"Is that all of them, Captain Stone?" he asked, addressing the man in charge of this particular facility.  Maximum Security Penitentiary for Superhumans.  Home of the freaky mutants too powerful to control or be put into normal prisons.  Previously home to the Juggernaut, though he had long since escaped and was being notoriously difficult at recapturing.

Fury idly flicked the toothpick in between his fingers, glancing into the new holding cell that'd just been set up, for the sick mutants.  They'd come down with the symptoms only a short while ago, and he ordered Stone to round 'em up and get 'em away from the other prisoners before the infection spread.  He hadn't known at the time it was virus that only targeted mutants.  Now they did.

Didn't make their job any easier though.

Gauntlet and Mesmero were the only two in the cell at the moment.  Juggernaut was of course still on the loose, but Omega Red was keeping his specially made prison warm for when they finally caught him.  Once that time came they'd have to deal with the Russian answer to Weapon X, but they'd deal with that when the time came.

So it was that Fury found himself back in the facilities medical bay, talking with Deborah.  She was, of course, their foremost expert on mutants.  Even if Fury didn't completely trust her.

"Talk to me," he said, folding his arms.

"I do not recognize this virus... it's a strain unlike anything I've ever seen before," she said.  "But it is as the news has confirmed.  It infects only those with the X-gene.  But there's something else," she added softly.  "Something worse."  Deborah Risman led Fury over to a computer screen and showed him what she'd found.

Fury's toothpick snapped in between his fingers, as his one good eye opened in a mixture of shock and fear.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Piotr sighed deeply, listening as his younger sister Illyana continued to cough in the other room.  How he sometimes wished his parents had the foresight to install a phone line in their simple country farm house.  Now, as it was, he dare not leave her side to go into town and call the Xavier Institute.  Or anyone for that matter.  All he could do now was continue to treat her as best he was able, and hope for the rest.

Even though he held no such hope for himself, he thought, as he again lifted his hand up before his eyes.  It was dark with bruises.  And soon they'd develop into lesions just like Illyana's.  But he would carry on for his little sister's sake.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex sat on the couch, arms wrapped around his legs as he watched the news.  He'd been doing it for nearly an hour now, as they continued on and on about the mutant virus.  Xavier had warned him about it before, of course, as well as the Masters since Scott was practically family to them.  He wasn't sick, of course, Alex was grateful for that.  But the things that kept coming up in the news wasn't reassuring.

No cure... no cure... no cure...

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow was falling Manhattan, though it was light and nobody paid any attention to it.  They were inside, huddling not because of the cold, but in fear.  The virus had everyone on edge.

Including Warren Worthington III.

Warren carefully shut the drapes to his room before sliding off his shirt and stretching out his very tired wings.  How it had ached, to keep them covered so much today.  Thus, he'd called his day short and headed home with a pretense of a headache which (thankfully) he did not have.  The slightest slip up, a single feather found on his coat, and he'd be discovered and burned for being a mutant.

If he wasn't crucified for being a fallen angel, he thought with something close to a grin on his handsome features.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The human Juggernaut was invulnerable, unstoppable, and nothing deterred him from whatever he wanted.  Be it money or revenge.  But even Cain Marko was not so stupid as to be ignorant of the world around him.  Carelessness had landed him in a prison cell that actually managed to hold him for many long, cold years.  Many long years floating in a green cellular paralysis fluid, where all he could do was wait... and dream.

Dream thoughts of vengeance.

So it was that he'd stolen a TV and hooked it up as best he could with what knowledge he had.  He'd been a college student before his transformation, after all.  He did know how to improvise and live on his own, without support.  Which was exactly what he was doing now, hiding out in a warehouse until he could properly think of what to do.

But what he saw on the news upset all of his plans.

Mutants sick, dying.  Some terrible plague.  And Cain, for once in his life, doubted his powers would protect him from this virus.  Though his skin could've withstood a nuclear blast without so much as a scratch, his insides were no where near as invulnerable.  He could still feel hunger, he could still be poisoned, and was all to often proved, his mind was still vulnerable to the power of a psychic.

Like his brother... like his no-good brother... Charles...

Juggernaut's grip tightened and he crushed an iron box next to him without even realizing it, then idly tossed it aside, again turning back to his small portable television and tilting the antennae, trying to get better reception.  Perhaps now was his time to strike against the Institute.  With all the mutants sick...

A grin spread across his features.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danielle Moonstar shivered, drawing the covers closer around her tender frame as she shivered, coughing violently.  No matter how many layers of clothing and blankets both, she was still so cold.  It permeated her to the bone.  The last time she'd felt so cold she'd been near death in the caves near Dark Hollow.

Her teeth chattered as her grandfather came in, coaxing her to sip some of his herbal remedies.  But nothing he did seemed to help her.  Her skin felt like ice.  But beneath that ice a fire raged, burning her blood.  Some horrible disease.  She kept telling her grandfather to get away from her, lest he contract it himself, but he'd refused to lose his granddaughter twice.  So he stayed at her side and did all he could to ease her pain.

Not that he could do much to help her, now.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door shut and Kelly breathed a relieved sigh, loosening his tie.  Of all the difficulties of his new job, two ranked very high on his personal list.  One was dealing with the press.  The other was his frustration that his 'Mutant Registration Act' was having.  Why could no one see the danger that mutants represented?  Why were they so blind?  He was tempted to grab each and every person he saw and shake some sense into them but, he wisely restrained himself.

"Dorothy, am I doing the right thing?" he asked, turning to glance at his secretary.  She was sometimes the only person he trusted.  After all, she'd quit her job at Bayville High after he'd left.  And when he'd seen her resume to work as his note-taker and secretary, he'd snapped her up in a minute.  She was good at what she did, and knew how to keep secrets.

"Sir?" she asked, looking up from her filing.

"With the mutants," he grumbled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  Rubbing his temples, he made his way over to his desk and sat down, leaning back and peering at the pile of work that, for some reason, never seemed to leave his desk.  Ah well, better than having it hit by a shot put.  He was positive that was a mutant's fault too, though he couldn't prove it.

"Of course you are, Mr. Kelly.  Someone has to control them, they're so dangerous.  Our time at Bayville High proved that.  I mean, I go to sleep every night afraid those mutants will do something horrible."

"I know, so do I," he said.  "If I had my choice I'd lock 'em all up," he added, making Dorothy smile encouragingly.  "It's a war.  It's the reason people like me exist."

"You should use that in your next address," she stated, continuing her filing.

"Maybe I could at that," pondered Kelly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  Hmmmmm... a war.  A war on mutants.  That could certainly get people's attention.  The War on Terrorism certainly got patriot blood flowing.

A War on Mutants.

A smirk spread across Mayor Edward Kelly's face.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hank sighed, tipping off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes.  There had to have been something he was missing... some clue gnawing at the back of his mind, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was.  So it was he continued to stare at the mutant-killing virus through his microscope.

Only harms mutants...

Suddenly his head shot up.  Of course, why hadn't he thought of that sooner?!  Why hadn't any of them?  Hank shot up from his seat, making his way out of the lab without a word to Patronete or Moira, bounding down the hallways on his knuckles and feet like the great ape he resembled, until he reached the storage facility.

Lifting up the great boxes and crates, he proceeded to search it.  Where was it, he wondered.  Where was... aha!

Lifting up a crate that must've weighed a ton and would've crushed all but Roberto or himself, he reached down and pried open the box he'd been searching for.  The label on the side confirmed his hunches, this was the right crate.  Pow-R8.  And inside... the great energy drink that'd nearly killed Evan and half the Morlock population.  With its toxic eliminators, harmless to humans, harmful to mutants.  Hank grabbed one such bottle, and made his way back to the lab.

A small sample was sufficient, and he placed it under the microscope, as he'd done so long ago after the skateboarding incident, just before Evan had left them.  And... deeper... closer.

"I knew it," he said, mostly to himself.

"Knew what?  You found something, Hank?" asked Patronete, making his way over to join the blue-furred mutant.

"Take a look at this sample," replied Hank, scooting his chair aside as Patronete bent over, placing his eye to the microscope and peered inside.

"This is the virus, isn't it?" he asked.

"No... these are the toxic eliminators of a popular drink for 'extreme' skaters," said Hank, holding up the Pow-R8 bottle and shaking it for emphasis.  "But the chemicals are almost identical to that of the virus.  Quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

"You and I know better than to believe in coincidence.  Things don't just happen," replied Patronete, double-checking the samples under the microscope.

"I'll get Moira and Charles," said Hank, placing the bottle down on the table next to Patronete.

"Good grief," murmured Patronete.  "I never even considered the possibility that a virus like this could be... deliberately made.  Engineered.  I mean, who in their right mind could be so cruel?"

**Author's Notes:**

And the virus hits the front pages and the top stories.  Oh those poor mutants, fearful humans on one side and a killer virus on the other.  And of course mention of most of the other characters worldwide who, unfortunately, will not be in the rest of the story.  Well, most of them at least.  Hence the doubly long chapter.  Just touched briefly on the Pyro-Iceman rivalry, there'll be more of that much later, believe you me.  Maybe even a fight or two.  Anyone wanna place bets?  Anyone recognize the fellow who rescued Mastermind?  I can never tell if that accent if Scottish or Irish.  I know his comic counterpart was Irish though.  Ah well.  Actually that scene is a bit of foreshadowing for my future stories.  A teaser, if you will.  And we get a glimpse of how SHIELD is dealing with its mutant prisoners.  Anyone who hasn't read 'Weapon X24' wouldn't realize what Fury's snapping his toothpick means.  Those who have do, so more power to you.  And of course brief mentions of Mystique, Havok, Angel and Mirage.  Even a little time to under appreciated and all-but-forgotten Juggernaut.  The idea of Angel being nailed to a cross was inspired by the story 'Judgment Day.'  It's under Scribbler's profile, but it's a compilation of work of the most brilliant XME fan fiction writers.  And of course longtime X-Men fans recognize Edward Kelly's line as the same that Roberto Kelly used in X-Men: The Movie.  Right before Mystique clobbered him.  And yes, finally, we find out the virus was created, and did not occur naturally.  Things are about to heat up again, so strap yourselves in!

Todd fan: Dust bunnies?  *shudder*  You're evil.  Don't worry he ain't dead... yet.  I have bigger plans in store for the gadget boy.  I will use him to create an robotic evil double of me!  Ten stories high!  With la-Z-er eyes!

Bleedingmoon89: I can do more than rock those baby, I can rock your world.  Hehehe.  But your welcome for Toad, and I will consider this Hot Zone of which you speaketh.  'Til then I'll stick to what I know from sci-fi movies about killer viruses.

Rogue14: I always do, but its good to know someone's always reading it.

Basilisk: I will finish at my own frickin' pace!  Besides I like this slow teasing method, it brings in more of an audience, which means more reviews for me!  Muwahahahaha!

Snitter in Rivendell: Yeah but I don't want a long series of one-shots.  But glad you enjoyed it anyway.  I'm glad you liked the couples and Magneto's family bonding a little.  Plenty more to come soon.

Nessie6: As I told Comet-hime, I don't see those two as a couple exactly.  I'm leaving them good friends (plus Toad's crush) for now.  The hug, Nessie, that Magneto was going to going to need a hug to cheer him up.  Glad you like Pyro's accent though.  And yeah I loved Wanda's line too.  Emotional people rarely think rationally, but it shows she cares.

Gambi316: Why am I somehow not surprised you liked the Romy?  Bleh.  Ah well, my audience is happy I guess.  And perhaps you're thinking of Colonel Wraith?  Creepy military guy from 'Grim Reminder'?  Don't worry you'll get plenty more Romy later.

Son of Logan and Ororo: Mmm, I doubt it.  Maybe in another story.  Wiggles, you say?  I reply... what the (censored) is WIGGLES?!

JustAnObsessedFan: Oh you never know, Wanda may admit it.  That is, if Toad survives.  He might not, after all.  Less than twenty-four hours left, after all.  I think by this chapter we're roughly at twenty.  Glad you're enjoying the characterization, I do try and keep them as Evo has made them... with perhaps just a few comic influences.

Comet-hime: Plenty more where that came from.  Plenty more.  I've got lots of cute TabbyAmaraness planned for the end of my story.  As well as everything else you saw here, 'cause you know I'm in to big happy endings.

Elrohirthewriter: Sounds like a most unpleasant muse.  Ah well, I can take it.  My muse shops at NukesRUs.  And has a frequent customer discount, no less.  Pyro just hasn't been exposed to the virus.  He's been one of the lucky few... so far.  Glad you're loving the characterization, as always.

Lyranfan: Plenty more of that to come with the sentinel's.  After all, I did leave hanging the fate of the Weapon Xee's against a small army of them.  Glad you liked the transformer reference.

DoubleL27: Glad you liked the portrayal of Tabby and especially of Scott.  He's one of my fav characters, because I identify with him so much.  So he's easy to write.  Well I hope I didn't disappoint with all the wonderful characters shown at least briefly in the last and this particular chapters.

The Rogue Witch: Like I said I couldn't think of anything better!  I wanted to have him watching a children's show but nothing seemed to fit that either.  Besides they showed a parody of the Crocodile Hunter on Evo.  Remember way back during 'the Toad, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'?  Pietro was watching it.  Guy got bit by his own snake.  Glad you liked the couples though.

Cookies_n_cream08: Well I'm glad I can keep you on the edge of your seat.  But believe me, there are others who can really keep you on the edge of your seat with each passing chapter.  But I'm glad you're enjoying my work.  I like to think I also improve a little with each story I write, due to feedback I get.


	11. XI

"Could Guy Spears be behind this?"

The adults were meeting below in the control center of the Institute.  The younger students and guests were being put to work on the sick to keep them out of the way.  Charles, Moira, Patronete sat around a round steel table.  Eric hung behind Charles, partially hidden in the shadows.  Hank paced uneasily around the table.

"No, I do not believe that is possible," replied Charles, tenting his hands and resting his elbows on the table.  "I've spoken with the man.  He bears mutants no ill will."

"How can you be so positive of this?" asked Eric coldly.  "Did you read his mind?"

"I did not," admitted Charles.

"Then we can presume nothing.  Even if he bore our kind no ill will in the past, he may have changed.  Beast... what have you found on Mr. Spears?"

"Just general business news," replied Hank.  "Apparently after the incident with Pow-R8 and the Morlocks, he shut down Pow-R8 productions.  Now he runs a company called 'Legacy.'  It's a legitimate research company."

"Research?  Into what fields?"

"Genetics and Military Science," replied Hank.

"And you do not consider that suspect, Charles?" asked Eric.

Silence reigned for a long moment then.

"Say this Guy Spears is behind the virus... what do we do?" asked Moira, tapping her fingers nervously against the round table.

"We'll need proof before we can contact the authorities," stated Patronete.  "Solid evidence."

"Hank," said Charles.  "See what you can find.  If he is responsible there's got to be something you can find.  If there isn't anything, we will know our guess was incorrect."

"And then?" asked Eric.

"We will see, Eric," he replied.

Hank was at the computer, his fingers tapping rapidly as information scrolled past, almost faster than the eye could follow.  Dates, numbers, products.  Incoming and out coming.  Business meetings, hours, locations.  None of it seemed out of the ordinary... until...

"My my... is this a dagger I see before me?" asked Hank, absent-mindedly quoting Shakespeare.

"You've found something Hank?" asked Charles, wheeling his chair over next to Hank and peering over his shoulder.  The others quickly gathered around.

"No less than twenty gallons of our favorite 'toxic eliminators'," stated Hank, drawing quotes in the air with his fingers as he spoke.  "Being delivered to a facility just outside of Bayville.  Near Dark Hollow, actually."

"And here's something even more strange," stated Moira, tapping the screen over a news article.  "That facility was abandoned nearly three whole years ago.  Its gotta be nothing but rust by now."

Eric and Charles exchanged a glance.

"Gather who's available," stated Eric, as Charles placed his fingers against his temples and mentally summoned the healthy mutants to the control room.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The able-bodied met down in the control center of the Institute, and the situation was immediately explained to them.  That the virus was artificial, that someone had deliberately loosed it upon them.  And that Spears might've been that someone.  This was met by a number of shocked reactions (including having to restrain Spyke from rushing out to slaughter Spears) before everyone calmed down.

"However, we cannot move against Spears just yet.  We need hard evidence he is responsible, not just the facts we have.  And the questions point to this abandoned facility.  The answers must lie there," stated Xavier.

"We'll find 'em Professor," said Scott, already having slipped into his customary leader mode.  "Shadowcat, Iceman, with me..."

Scott started to make his way out of the room, when he found Evan and Wanda blocking his way.

"We're coming too," they said, and their statement was quickly picked up by the other able-bodied, younger mutants.

"The X-Men'll handle this," said Scott, turning back to face them.

"Yeah sure they will... wot X-Men?" asked John, as always fiddling with his lighter, flicking it open and lighting a tiny flame.  It formed an arrow, pointing at the X-Men in question as he listed them off.  "You, the Sheila, and the popsicle?  Hahahaha, don't make me laugh."  Scott scowled darkly, not enjoying being insulted, and almost marched over and smacked the red-head, but a hand stopped him.  It was Kitty.

"Scott we're going to need help with this.  John raises a good point," she said, as Lance stood behind her and nodded.

"Three of us used to be X-Men ourselves Scott," added Evan, referring of course to himself, Tabby and Lance.  "We know how to do this."

Reluctantly, Scott sighed and nodded his head.  "Alright, you can come along.  But if you do, you follow my orders.  I'm team leader here.  And if we don't work as a team, we're going to fail, and everyone we care about here is going to die.  Understand?" he asked, turning his ruby-red gaze on each member of his new team in turn.  Tabby, Bobby, Lance, St. John, Kitty, Evan and Wanda, plus himself.  This was his team.

Vunderbar.

"We will remain here and watch over the infected," stated Xavier, indicating the adults.  "Be careful, all of you."

"I will remain behind as well," added Magneto.  "The Institute will be incredibly vulnerable without you all present.  I will ensure the safety of those present."

The adults and kids filed out of the room, the adults to return to their work, the kids to gather their uniforms and get ready for their mission.  Professor X wheeled into his study, determined to again go over the Legacy company records and see if he could find out anything else more... useful.  As he did, however, the phone ringed, and he picked it up.  Who one earth could be calling now of all times, he wondered.

"Hello?"

"Professor Xavier?  I'm afraid I have some bad news for you..."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hank returned to the lab with Moira and Patronete, determined to work towards the cure and hopefully find something now that they knew what they were dealing with.  Evan had explained about the Morlock mixture that had eased the Pow-R8 poison, and perhaps that was as good a place to start as any.

However, upon reaching the lab, Hank found quite a shock.  Amanda was there, stumbling forward, still in her yellow bio-suit.

"Mr. McCoy," she said, stumbling forward.  "Something... something's wrong..." she said, and then she passed out, and he only narrowly caught her before she hit the ground, gently easing her onto her back.  Then he gasped.

Through the clear front of the suit, he could see her features... covered in green lesions.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You cannot be serious," said Xavier, shocked to his very core.  Things were, indeed, worse than he could've ever imagined.  His nightmares paled beyond the reality of these past few days.

"I'm dead serious, Professor," stated Fury, on the other end of the line.  "But even so I had my own top scientists confirm what Deborah found for us.  It's the truth."

"I will alert my people," he replied.

"Keep out of this one, Xavier.  You and your X-Men.  If you get involved this thing could spread like wildfire, and then it'll be my head.  Don't... get... involved," he stated, emphasizing each word with deadly seriousness.

Professor X made no reply, simply hung up the phone.

Despite being a mutant, he had always done his best to follow the laws of the country he lived in.  And some of his own personal guidelines, no less.  His X-Men handled situations when he felt the government could do nothing, where mutants were involved.  It took mutants to solve such problems, and that was why he had formed them.

This was a mutant problem, despite what had now happened.  His X-Men would solve it.

Xavier quickly left his study and made his way to rejoin the others in the medical ward.

"Hank," he said, before the doors had completely slid open and he wheeled his way inside.  "There's been a development... the virus..."

And then he saw.  Hank's expression, and in his arms, Amanda Sefton, the most open-minded young human Professor Charles Xavier had ever had the privilege of knowing.  And underneath the protective suit she was already sick, unconscious, and covered in the green lesions of the virus.

"We know Charles.  I've already had Moira and Patronete checked... they're both clean.  And they've contacted Mrs. Leech.  She's fine as well... for now at least.  But we know what this means."

"That the virus no longer attacks only mutants," said Professor Xavier.

"It has mutated," added Hank.

"And now no one is safe."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iceman was prepping the X-Jet when he received telepathic instructions from the Professor.  So did the other members of the impromptu team, warning them about the latest development of the virus.  It cast a very thick cloud over the cockpit of the Blackbird as one by one the assembled team boarded and buckled themselves into a seat.  Everyone was in full battle uniforms.

Cyclops boarded just as Iceman sat down in the pilot's seat, flipping the appropriate switches to shut the ramp and start the Blackbird up.

"Iceman, what're you doing?  I'm flyin,'" said Cyclops.

"'fraid not.  Got here first," he said with his usual smirk.  "Hold on to your lunch!" he said with his usual humor as he punched the accelerator forward and the Blackbird rocketed forward.  Scott was sent hurling backwards, slamming down hard into the seat next to Wanda.

"Rrrr... Bobby..." he said, starting to rise.  Suddenly a blue glow encompassed his seatbelt and it snapped into place, locking him down.

"Oh let him fly," remarked Wanda, lowering her hand.  "He'll get us there fastest, at any rate."  Kitty giggled at that, but quickly stifled it when Scott turned to glance at her.  He didn't like having others question his authority.  And here, well, half the team was full of freelances and even rivals.  He doubted they'd be able to get into the facility before ego's and personalities started to clash.

"If we get there alive," grumbled Scott, rubbing his neck where it'd slammed against the headrest.

Silence reigned in the jet, and even Iceman and Boom-Boom were devoid of their usual wise-cracking.  Tension was evident.  As Cyclops had put it back at the Institute, if they failed this mission, their friends and families were forfeit.  And now that knowledge that the virus could infect normal people, meant that just that many more were depending on them.

The Blackbird rocketed towards the facility with all possible speed, as the X-Men, and their allies, rushed to save the world.  They went unnoticed by the sentinel guardians of Bayville, who did not detect the flight of the sleek vessel as anything more than a momentary blip on their sensors.

**Author's Notes:**

Dramatic, yes?  Now that the virus has mutated and infects humans, the entire world is screwed unless, yet again, the X-Men can save the day.  Touched briefly on Spears and his new Legacy company, as its grown and become more powerful than a simple distributor of Pow-R8.  Something that'll be more of a challenge to more than just a team of sewer dwelling mutants (nothing against the Morlocks, of course).  And now Amanda is sick, how terrible.  Poor Kurt would be devastated... if he didn't only have ten hours or so left until he finds himself at the pearly gates.  And now it all comes down to a big climactic battle against the meanie mutant-haters.  But, with a mix-matched team like this, think they've got a chance?  Well, you'll see soon enough.

CrypticIdentity: Who on earth quoted that?  I don't recognize it.  Glad you're liking all the characters being sprinkled around here and there though, each being given their own screen time.

Son of Logan and Ororo: Well actually I do have little cousins, but I rarely see them.  So no I guess I don't know all that much about children's programming, especially not Australian.  But what you've said has given me an idea for... later.  And I won't say one way or the other in regards to Colossus and Magik.  You'll see soon enough.

Nessie6: Ah, you've figured me out.  Crafty little thing aren't we?  In more ways than one it seems.  I didn't know Colossus had a brother, actually.  Just his sorceress, teleporting sister.

Toddfan: I said ten stories, not feet!  Ah well, still good.  Oh and don't fret about Jason, he'll be fine.  I had him meet up with Lucas for a reason.

Snitter in Rivendell: Yeah I know, I was worried I was pushing the envelope with that western thing myself.  Ah well, live and learn.  Glad you're confident of my skills to carry out the Legacy virus and the Pow-R8 things that would've been nice to see in season five.  And yeah, I miss the more confident, suave Mastermind from TAS.  That is, 'til Pheonix stripped his illusions away.

Comet-hime: You know darn well I'm working as hard as I can with the time I have.  Which, these days, isn't much.  I thought you'd like the sick mutant ladies in the same bed, kinky little thing you.  And of course Agatha would be taking care of them.  And of course, you being one of the privileged few who know what's in store for your fav couple.

The Rogue Witch: Don't feel bad, no one can guess where my twisted stories go.  I must be just that good.  Hehehe.  Glad you liked the inclusion of all the little characters, and some insight into Juggernaut.  That's the thing I love about X-Men.  No one's truly, completely, senselessly evil.  They all have pasts and personalities, like Magneto and Juggernaut.

Bleedingmoon89: I dunno, I just wanted to appease my fan base with a confrontation between those two.  Though now that they've finally met outside of their uniforms, maybe I'll gradually work in a relationship similar to the movie John and Bobby.

Pyro-iz-hot: Please, most humble apologies for grammatical and spelling errors.  I am most stupid, in that regard.  It was helpful, however, and I shall work to correct my errors.  But count yourself lucky I'm not bad enough to keep misspelling Rogue "Rouge".  *shudder*.

Zen Bailong: More stories like this?  This is exactly like most of my other stories.  I do hope to get more reviews though, I appreciate feedback from everyone who likes (or hates) my writing.

Elrohirthewriter: Better make room under that desk for two, I also feel the storm coming.  And I don't mean Ororo.  Glad you're enjoying the tie-in's and the writing so far.  As for Destiny, well, maybe it's her time...

Nightrider: Kurt's fate won't be decided for another few chapters, but don't worry you'll find out soon enough.

Gambi316: I am so very glad someone managed to figure it out.  Well, sorry to disappoint you about Cain, but don't worry, plenty of action and suspense to come now that the mutants are on the move and have a tangible enemy who's butt they can kick.  I did check out your story, its not half-bad.  I just haven't had time to review yet, sorry.

Taineyah: Everyone?  You want everyone to live?  What kinda story would that be?!  No, I think its time for... random character deaths!  Muwahahahahahahah!!  More to come soon.

DoubleL27: Well, glad you love my work.  I too love my work.  Hehe.  Seriously though, as you can no doubt see, action is being undertaken by the mutants to stem this terrible plague.  And yeah I like Scott too.  He reminds me of me.  Him and Lance.

Sandoz: I thought you'd like that!  Just think of all my stories as continuations of one another, and its all one big frickin' story.  Just like yours!  Speaking of which... sequel!  Sequel!  SEQUEL!!  SEQUEL!!!.  Glad you liked the mention of other mutants.  Israeli you say?  Hmmm perhaps I was confused.  But Lucas/David/Ian definitely isn't Israeli.  Thanks for the info.  Also glad you're enjoying the Kurmanda.  I'm honestly surprised by that, I thought you were more of a Kurtitha sort.


	12. XII

The Blackbird touched down just outside of the facility which, as had been stated, did appear to be abandoned.  They could clearly see some of the rust off the one pristine iron doors and the walls were crumbling.  Still, fully aware of how appearances were deceptive, the ragtag team disembarked from the Blackbird, ready for anything.

The gates were easy.  Kitty grabbed onto Scott and Lance, phasing them both through, and Bobby ice bridged the remaining members of the team over.  They were inside the perimeter.  So far, so good.

"Kitty, go scout the loading area.  Lance you go with her," ordered Scott, knowing Lance would likely go whether he ordered or not.  "The rest of you come with me," he said, as they made their way to the side door.  The place may have been abandoned or not, but if it wasn't the main doors may've been a trap.

Besides... if it wasn't abandoned... why was the door locked?

"Here, let me..." said Bobby, stepping forward and icing up.  "I'll freeze the door, you can knock it down..." he said, but stopped as Scott's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"No, that might make too much noise... someone could hear it."

"Aw come on man, you know me.  Trust me I can do it with as little noise as possible," he replied with one of his cocky, trademarked Bobby grins.

The sort of grin that meant trouble.

"No Iceman, we'll wait for Shadowcat to get back..."

"Come on man I can do this!"

A very loud boom broke off their conversation, as both of them all but jumped out of their skin, watching as the door swung lazily on its now broken lower hinge.  The doorknob was completely blasted away, while Tabby looked up at them.  If Bobby was the king of cocky grins, Tabby was the queen of innocent smirks.

"What?  This way is faster," she remarked, stepping inside and slipping off the sunglasses that were part of her uniform.  Her new one, at least.  The thing she'd worn as a Bayville Siren.

Scott rolled his eyes behind his visor, silently cursing under his breath as Tabby moved on ahead.  Thinking quickly he blocked off anyone from following her, turning back to Bobby.  Great, things were already getting bad if he was relying on Bobby of all people.

"Iceman," he said.  "Wait for Shadowcat and Avalanche to get back... everyone else with me," he said, again taking charge of the situation.  Scott and his ragtag followers made their way inside, catching up with Tabby as they enter the main production area.  They found themselves in a large, open area in what appeared to be a metal working facility.  Some of the larger machines were marked with the 'Legacy' corporation logo.  A number of canisters lay to one side of the room, some overturned, with great silver lids lying nearby, tarnished with rust.  But most interesting of all was the battle damage.

"I recognize these marks," remarked Spyke, tracing some slices into the solid steel of one machine.  He held his fist against it, and allow three bone spikes to shoot forth from between his knuckles.  They matched perfectly.

"Wolverine," stated Scott in confirmation, as the others moved in.  Bobby, Lance and Kitty joined them in the center of the room.  "But what does that mean?"

"It means," came a new voice.  "That this is the end for your kind, mutants!"

The X-Men and their allies dropped down, powering up their mutations and preparing to fight, searching for the source of the voice.  It came in the form of a single, lone man on one of the high catwalks.  A man with brown hair, streaked with gray, and a thick moustache.  Dressed in a black, quasi-military uniform.  With a SHIELD logo on the shoulder patch.

Trask.

"Welcome to the end of your species, you filthy mutants," he said, sneering down at them.

"The end I see is yours!" replied Cyclops, taking aim and snapping off a shot, aiming at Trask's chest to knock him out.  To his surprise, the blast barely pushed him back a foot or so.  The scientist stumbled, but did not fall.  He didn't even appear injured.

"What...?"

"You mutants are not the only ones to benefit from mankind's technology," remarked Trask, indicating the hole in his jacket what Cyclops had blasted him.  Underneath he had on some sort of body suit... but of a strange material... something red...

Ruby quartz!

"Iceman!" he shouted.  "Take him out!"

"Don't even think about it," replied Trask, snapping his fingers.  All around the click of guns was heard, and from the catwalks and behind the machines, soldiers poured out, surrounding the small ragtag team of mutants.

"Nobody move," ordered Cyclops, hand still resting on his visor.  He was betting most of the soldiers didn't have similar body armor.  Ruby quartz wasn't as rare as adamantium, but it wasn't found in abundance either.  Besides, Trask had at least one weak point.  Next time he'd aim for the head.

"Wise idea," stated Trask, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, what's wrong?  You gonna give us some 'this is for the good of humanity speech'?" asked Bobby sarcastically.

"Why bother?  In another few hours, you'll all be dead anyway," remarked Trask.  "My friend was very useful in providing me with the perfect answer to the mutant problem," he added, indicating a platform descending down to join Trask near the catwalk.  And standing in it, looking out of place in a professional business suit, was none other than the head of the Legacy company.

Guy Spears.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hank?"

Hank lifted his head, glancing at the doorway.  Patronete stood their, with a slightly worried look on his face.

"The Seftons are here," he stated quietly.  "Should I...?"

Hank nodded, having no desire to face the Seftons right now.  He might startle them.  True, they knew about Kurt, and accepted him now, but they knew nothing about most of the other mutants at the Institute.  He had no desire to startle them with his appearance.  Letting Patronete and Moira deal with the situation was more prudent.

"Keep them isolated!" he called out over his shoulder.  Patronete nodded, making his way out to get the Seftons and show them their now sick daughter.

Hank returned to his research.  The last thing he needed now of all times was more sick patients.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Spears?!  Come down here!  I got a bone to pick with you!" shouted Spyke angrily.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Spears, peering down at Spyke, clearly not recognizing him.

"I'm the man who's gonna carve your name in a tombstone!" said Spyke, allowing great huge spikes to extend along his arms and fists.  The guards around them shifted uneasily, but no fire broke out just yet.  Unnoticed by anyone else, Boom-Boom quietly slipped a hand behind her back, getting Shadowcat's attention and winking, as she leaned back against one of the great empty vats.

"Wait a minute... I remember you," remarked Spears, peering down at Spyke.  "You're that punk mutant from the factory!  You nearly ruined my business!"

"You were killing innocent people!"

"Mutants aren't people!"

Spyke nearly lost it, then and there, and would've gladly gone Wolverine on the entire place, his teammates be damned, if Cyclops and Iceman hadn't grabbed his shoulders, restraining him.  And barely.

"We're more alike than you care to admit!" shouted up Shadowcat, addressing both Trask and Spears.  "Even Mastermold thought so!"

Trask grimaced, that particular barb sunk deep.  He could almost hear it all over again.  That mechanized voice.  _Mutants... -are- human_.  The very thought of what Mastermold has said still sent shivers down Trask's spine.  It was unthinkable.  To believe that mutants were anything like what pure, normal humans were.  Completely unthinkable.

"The question's academic," remarked Spears, covering for his temporarily taken aback comrade.  Roughly pushing Trask, the two got into the elevator and descended down to join the mutants, now that they were safely under the watch of the soldiers.

A bright light formed between Boom-Boom's closed fingers.

"Soon you mutants will all be gone.  The virus will wipe out each and every one of you," remarked Spears.  "My own personal scientists have predicted no more than six or so hours left before you all start dropping dead.  As it is, you all might not last even half that long," he added, drawing out a vial of clear greenish liquid from his jacket.  He didn't need to explain what it was, the gathered mutants could easily guess it was dangerous, the way he held it.  "This is a concentrated, more infectious version of the Legacy Virus.  It will kill you all in less than an hour, if I choose to release it now."

"We wouldn't be the only ones," remarked Iceman, still struggling to hold Spyke back.  "You guys might not have much longer either, if you've been exposed to your own virus."

"What on earth are you talking about, you stupid kid?" asked Spears, stepping right in front of him.  With a large number of armed guards around, he felt moderately safe.  Trask lurked in the background, arms folded, still sulking from the remark about his deficient super computer.

"Humans aren't immune to the virus... its started to infect normal people," replied Iceman, his tone light, but his words were even colder than usual as he added "Just like you."

Shadowcat gently nudged Avalanche, signaling with her eyes to be ready.  He nodded, giving no outward indication as his hands tensed up.

"You're lying," stated Trask.  "You're all nothing but liars who'd do anything to save your own skins!  You're a filthy genetic scourge and we will cleanse the earth of you!"

"Cool it Trask," replied Spears.

Everyone's eyes was drawn to the drama as Spears and Trask continued to torment their captives, deliberately drawing out their suffering, each side throwing out insults and promises, but no blows were yet exchanged.  Unnoticed by all, a single charged time-bomb dropped from Boom-Boom's hands, and she kicked it backwards, praying it hit something important...

And boom.

The area exploded into action as Boom-Boom's time bomb went off, guards looking every which way to find out where the unknown attack had come from.  And then the mutants sprung.  Avalanche thrust out his hands, and half a dozen guards went stumbling to their feet, as the entire facility shook from the force of his powers...

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...and below, in a holding facility.

The walls cracked.  Wolverine raised his head, glancing up.

"Avalanche," he said with a smirk.

After their failed escaped, overwhelmed by Sentinels, they'd been moved to another holding facility.  They'd been shackled against the wall, arms and legs so tight it nearly cut off blood circulation.  As it was, the new crack in the wall ran just along Wolverine's iron shackle holding one of his arms in place.  And... with a burst of strength...

There.  The iron shackle came loose and hit the ground.  His arm came free and his claws slid from their sheaths.  Sabertooth and X23 grinned as they realized they were going to escape.

"I think they started the party without us," he remarked with a wicked smirk.

**Author's Notes:**

And finally Trask and Spears reveal themselves as the evil masterminds behind this whole plot.  So now it all adds up.  A virus similar to Pow-R8.  Sentinel's holding the Weapon Xee's.  Its yet another evil duo, brought to you from the same person who brought you Trask and Wraith!  Yet another wonderful reference to 'Nullification' with the mention of Mastermold.  Whom may not be as gone as some people think.  When do psychotic computers die, anyway?  Brainiac seems to hang on after being blown up at least half a dozen times.  Another reference was the ruby quartz armor.  I believe it was Glaivester who suggested the idea to me at the end of 'Nullification' if I ever did a sequel.  It was a brilliant idea, I admit.  Cyclops's own personal kryptonite.  And we've got six hours left until mutants, and then humans, start dying.  Oh I love being so deliciously evil.

Nessie6: Well I figured there had to be some reason they named it in the comics, but I never found out why, so I made up the reason.  Pietro later, he's still sick now.  But if you read my other stories you know I'm into character inflection and reunions for big happy endings.  Though this time'll be a little sadder.  Don't worry though, both Pie-Pie and sister Wa-Wa will get their chance to shine.

DoubleL27: Sure, convenience, that's it.  Course not, Fury says that all the time.  Its practically his way of saying go ahead.  I know Scott and Lance are similar, they're like two facets of one person.  At least in Evo.  Or have you noticed how they act with their significant others?  Its eerily similar.

Todd fan: It was spreading before!  Now it is threatening all the lovable normal humans!  Like, uhm... Arcade!  And, er uh... well we don't like him... or her... well, Arcade at least!  And Amanda!

Rogue14: Wait until you see my plans for Annihilation.  Then talk to me of lines.  I have only just begun!  Muwahahahahahahah!  More coming quick as I can get it out.

Elrohirthewriter: I know they mutate.  Like that virus in Outbreak with the monkey's.  I did know about Moira, but for now I think I'll let her live, I have more use for her later.  But thanks anyway.  Any info is always appreciated.  And yes of course Mystique and Destiny are close, I know.  Maybe -really- close, if you catch my drift.

Pyro-iz-hot: Well I do try to avoid errors but they happen all the time, so don't feel bad about pointing them out.  I'll update as quick as I can, trust me.  And plenty of your fav Pyro to come.

Tora C. Barton: You can have Logan, just leave me X23 to glomp.  Deal?  Great!  Besides, Logan doesn't seem like the sort of person who enjoys being glomped.  Well I guess neither does X23, but that's beside the point!  Enjoy the rest of the story to come.

Snitter in Rivendell: She's a latent mutant.  But no powers... at least, not yet.  I'm still not sure where I want to go with Amanda, leave her human or make her a mutant or sorceress or what.  So I'm working into it gradually.  Of course Magneto kicks ass!  You don't declare war on an entire species and not have the ball bearings to carry it out!

Risty: That's all I need.  And actually, since you asked, I got two plans in mind actually.  Well, actually all my fics are slowly working towards the future of the X-Men we saw in the Ascension visions.  But my two big plans are: Age of Apocalypse and Pheonix Saga.  So to answer, yes, plenty can go wrong for the mutants.  Plenty.

The Rogue Witch: Yeah, but I love mismatched teams.  Just the core X-Men means they'll be efficient and competent.  No fun there.  Now we got arguing and ego-clashing.  Hope you're enjoying the latest chapter.

Comet-hime: Maybe a little of both for Guy, but he'll get what he deserves.  I have yet to write a story where the bad guy wins.  Or gets away completely scot-free, for that matter.  And she didn't tell anyone 'cause she wanted to keep helping Kurt.  Love makes us do foolish things, sometimes.

Taineyah: Hehehe, jk.  I never do random deaths.  Unless its Jean... or Havok... or Gambit... or pre-Morlock Spyke.  I'm not killing Amara!  Have you seen my story?  No Amyro!  Tabitha/Amara forever!  And Todd/Wanda!  Well, maybe not forever for them.

Sandoz: 'course he's gone up in the world, with an evil buddy in crime like Trask.  And unfortunately, its just those two.  No evil Sinister in the background cackling in the shadows.  He put a hand on his glasses once, that's almost worse than raising his hand.  But I see your point.  Cajun to die, gotcha.  Wish I could, but I'd be swamped by Romy fans and they'd rip me to pieces.  And very true, 'cause I sorta recall one of comic Legion's personalities was a terrorist or something.  And I do care!  If you make a sequel, nothing against Tabby, but you'd better put Kurt where he belongs with Amanda!  Hehehe, JK... your work is good, you don't need my advice.


	13. XIII

Avalanche thrust out his hands, and the ground obeyed.  It shuddered, it shook, it rippled like the unsteady tide of the ocean.  But water was soft.  Rock was hard.  Guards could not find their feet, and thus it was harder for them to aim their guns.  It gave the mutants time to scatter, time to counter-attack.

Boom-Boom was one of these, hurling her bombs left and right, not so much to injure as to distract, to confuse, to scare the soldiers and cause their fire to go wild.

"Re-group!" shouted Trask over the explosions.  "Re-group and take down those filthy mutants!"

"Filthy?!  Filthy?!  I had a bath not 'alf an hour ago!" shouted Pyro in retaliation, still standing up in the middle of the factory as if he hadn't the faintest idea bullets were all whizzing about his head wildly.  Cyclops charged over and knocked him down, getting him out of the line of fire.

"Alvers!  Quit the earthquakes, you'll bring down the whole place on us!"

"Shut up Summers!" he retorted, ignoring his command.  "I know what I'm doing!"

This he stated moments before one particularly weak point in the ceiling was wracked by shudders, and a great chunk of rock started to fall... right atop of Wanda's head.  She gave a shriek and thrust her hands up, but even she didn't have the kind of power to stop something like that in time.

Thus it was that the rock came crashing down, and Wanda vanished as great clouds of dust arose.

One down.  Seven to go.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spyke growled and hurled himself forward, directly at Trask and Spears, determined to bring them down and thus end the threat to mutants once and for all.  However, they were more than aptly prepared to once again move away from the heat of battle, and led their soldiers do the work.  Six of them surrounded Spyke, but he made quick work of their weapons with his flaming spikes, letting the metal break and scatter on the ground.  Still, he hadn't hit any of them.  They weren't his targets, their bosses were.

So it was that he popped a spear free and swung it about  him, giving them a clear idea that he knew how to use it, then he dropped down and held it behind him, under his arm, and beckoned them on with his free hand.

Two guards had the wits to charge from both angles at once, but Spyke was far too quick, swinging out his staff and whirling it in a circle, striking them both hard on the head and rendering them unconscious.  Without even turning he could sense the third guard rushing at his back to try and overbear him, so he leapt up and backwards, backflipping and slamming his foot into the guards back, sending him sprawling into one of his comrades.  That left only two.  One who had the good sense to run, and the other who was reaching for a grenade.  Spyke's eyes widened, and he shot a tiny, unlit spike into the guard's leg, dropping him to his knees.  The grenade, minus the pin, rolled over roughly between them.

Time seemed to slow...

Spyke's first instinct was to leap backwards and clear the blast of the grenade.  But, he realized, the guard would never be able to escape with his leg like it was.  And some part of him was pleased by that fact.  After all, he worked for Trask and Spears, and he must have known what he was doing, must have known how he'd be hurting mutants.  His death wouldn't be a tragedy, as far as Evan was concerned.

As the seconds seemed to stretch on, Spyke took a good look at the guard.  He was only a young man, perhaps no more than thirty.  Probably with a wife at home, and maybe kids.  They'd miss him, they'd mourn his death.  And, he realized... they would blame mutants, and the hatred would be fanned.

It was for this reason and this one only, that Spyke leapt forward and grabbed the grenade, hurling off into a distant part of the factory where it exploded without causing significant damage.

For a while they regarded one another.  Soldier and mutant.  Two sides, not really that unalike at all.

Then Spyke slammed his staff against the soldiers face and rendered him unconscious with a vindictive smirk.  He owed the bastard far more, but this'd do for now.  He had to attend to his employers.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cyclops and Pyro ducked out of sight behind some an overturned piece of machinery, as bullets rained down along their path, narrowly missing their feet.

"Great, this is all we need," grumbled Cyclops.  Grunting, he peered over the edge of the machinery, spotting Trask and Spears retreating towards the small elevator-lift to try and regain some ground since, as far as they could see, none of the mutants present could fly.

An idea occurred to Cyclops.

"Pyro.  I need a distraction.  Can you get those guards away from the main tower over there?" he asked, pointing in its direction.

"Sure thing mate!" he replied, standing up and igniting both of his flame-throwers.  Fiery hot energy poured forth, shaping itself into a great winged demon, which gave a great roar, immediately drawing all attention to itself.  The mutants, recognizing Pyro's attacks, wisely chose to keep clear, as the soldiers, foolishly, opened fire on it.  Quickly they learned a lesson about fire.  Like the other elements of the world, it was difficult to damage.

Thus it was that the fire demon swooped down low and the troopers scattered fearfully, running in all directions as the fire monster roared and swooped at them, though to the relief of the X-Men they saw Pyro was having too much fun to try and actually kill anyone.  He wanted to have more fun.  Still, they could thank heaven for small mercies.

This gave Cyclops the opportunity he needed.

His optic blasts lanced from his eyes, bursting out and slicing clear through the working mechanisms above the elevator, cutting off Trask and Spear's escape.  If they got caught in the heat of things they might start to sweat and do something stupid, but better than then allow them to escape.

Cyclops released the hold on his visor, allowing it to seal off his deadly optic blasts and returned to the fray.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the battle in the abandoned Legacy factory raged on, in the rest of Bayville, things were becoming decidedly worse.

Because the virus was airborn, even imposing quarantine on all the houses and apartment complexes wasn't enough to keep them completely safe.  People, normal human beings, were starting to become sick.  At first their neighbors and relatives blamed them, saying they were filthy mutants and such.  But as time went on, and the plague spread, it became apparent that this was not the case.  Everyone was susceptible now.

Thus it was that Dorothy, secretary to the Mayor of Bayville, covered her mouth once more, coughing violently, as she staggered towards the door to Kelly's office.  She needed to warn him before he caught anything from her.  Then she needed to get to a hospital.

She pushed open the door… and screamed.

Mayor Edward Kelly lay unconscious on his desk, papers scattered everywhere.  And all over his face and hands, were the sickly green lesions of the virus.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Scarlet Witch was pissed off.

Having a huge chunk of granite fall on anyone's heads would do that to you.  Thought thankfully, she thought as she stepped out of it, it hadn't even hit her.  Kitty slipped out beside her, and released her hand.  Thank goodness she'd been underneath when it'd hit.  That was twice she owed the brunette.  She'd repay it by not carving her initials in Lance's hide for nearly killing her.

But still, had to get the anger out somehow.

Bright, pulsating blue energy permeated her entire body, glowing fiercely like a bonfire, as her powers reached their fullest.  And this time, she made no effort to hold herself back.  With a cry of rage and frustration at the world in general, she let loose her powers.

"This is for my brother!" she roared.

To describe what happened next as chaotic would have been a dreadful understatement.  To be more accurate, it would perhaps have been better to say that each and every law of physics was suddenly repealed.  Violently.

Objects exploded.  Objects flew around the room.  Soldiers flew around the room.  Pyro's flame monster suffered a most violent death as the flames bent, twisted, and writhed, suddenly sprouting off into smaller demons that flew about the room like cackling imps, chasing after the soldiers.  Through it all, Wanda watched, her eyes bathed in blue light as her hands were thrust out, forefinger and pinky extended, commanding her powers.

Wanda and Pietro were more than just brother and sister.  They were twins.  They were two halves of the same whole.  They were not complete without the other, despite their dislike of one another.  Those long years they'd been separated had been hard on both of them.  And the thought of losing him now... enraged her.  And her power fed on her anger.

When it was over, not a single soldier was left standing.  They'd either been knocked unconscious or sent running for their lives.  Only two remained, their escape cut off on one side by an angry, flaming spiked Morlock and the other by a blonde who made things blow up.  Their useless escape route behind them, and no where to run.  Unless they both spontaneously mutated the ability to fly.

"It's over, both of you," stated Cyclops, pleased to note that no casualties were involved.  Mutant or otherwise.

"Never!" shouted Spears, turning to his comrade.  He grabbed Trask by the jacket, now clearly afraid.  And with good reason, Spyke was advancing on him with a very unfriendly look on his face.  "Trask, this is why I bothered to bring you in!  Stop these filthy mutants!"

"It's already done," remarked Trask who was, despite being so close to so many deadly enemies, unafraid.  Grinning, he held up something in his hand.  And though the gathered mutants tensed... it wasn't a gun.  It was a remote.  With a single red button.

The whirr of metal moving, of machines preparing.  Five pairs of golden eyes appeared in the darkened corners of the room, and as they shifted, red and black steel became visible in the light.  Sentinels.  They'd been hidden all around the room, under heavy machine, inside some of the storage containers, one even popped up right under the floor.  They'd been hidden, but now they were active, in motion, and hunting.  Hunting mutants.

The screen of one sentinel's golden gaze settle on Avalanche, Shadowcat, and the Scarlet Witch, who were moving closer together for safety.  Its inner gaze lit up with its orders as it locked onto them.

[Mutant signatures... detected.]

[Terminate.]

**Author's Notes:**

And now that we're done with the opening act, let the show begin.  I hope you all liked some of the good combat writing I did.  It went by a little fast but, again, that's because so many fighters were involved.  I really should start cutting back on the numbers involved, so I can do better.  Ah well.  And of course I hope you liked the team dynamics, working together (or not) as they did.  As well as the insights into Wanda and Evan.  More to come soon as available, promise.  Now the virus is spreading, people are getting sick, and even Kelly and Dorothy aren't immune.  That'll teach 'em!  Oh, and I see clarification is needed on perhaps one simple point.  After his disaster in 'Nullification', Trask studied Cyclops and learned about the ruby quartz in his visor and sunglasses.  Perhaps I didn't clarify how he knew about it.  I know its not exactly common knowledge among non-mutants.

Todd fan: Paul?  What'd he ever do?  Oh wait, he did point out the Scott-Rogue relationship.  You're right, go Paul!

DoubleL27: Close indeed.  And you'll see soon enough.  As for Scott and Lance, I see some things like that all the time.  I remember this particularly bad story where some author had them switch roles for a day.  It sucked, but it does prove my point.

Comet-hime: I may take you up on that offer.  Hehehe, jk.  But glad you like Tabby.  I like her too, she's got so much energy.  Just you remember our agreement!  Fan ficcies for fan piccies!  Preferably pictures that should properly belong in Playmutant.  ^_^

Risty: Build up, and more build up!  Now we got Sentinels baby!  And you say no one's ever used the ruby quartz idea before?  Well, perhaps nobody ever knew about it being how Cyclops controls his power.

Nessie6: Well more than glad to remind you.  Well, as you could see, mostly Wanda for now, but I did mention her twin.  Pietro to come later.  Yes, yes, more Pyro, more Avalanche, more Cyclops, everybody you like and quite a few you don't, all comin' at ya!.

Rogue14: Oh you do, do you?  Then I say you will not be disappointed… with the next few chapters.

Ray1: I dunno if they consider their job very fun.  But yes, they are most definitely going to rip Trask and Spears a new one or two.  And I always let there be justice in the world, if you've read my other stories.  Bad guys never get away with being bad.

Raphaella: Updating fast as I can, but I can only type so fast, dontcha know?  In the meantime, check out my other stories.  That'll keep you preoccupied for plenty of time so I can update.  If you love this, check out Weapon X24 and Nullification.  This is a sequel to those stories.

CrypticIdentity: Chronologically, considering who caught it first, Kurt, Todd and Jamie.  But you'll see whom I plan to kill and whom shall live.  And they'll take down Trask and Spears the same way they do every villain they've fought.  The Weapon Xees will be along to give 'em a hand soon enough.

Elrohirthewriter: Not what I had in mind.  And since Irene is referred to as a foster mother, I don't think it was together, per se.  But yes I know what you mean.  And of course I'm not.  Just like I'm not crazy.  I'm delightfully eccentric.


	14. XIV

Mutants scattered as the sentinels broke out their first attack, blasting at them with their chest components.  Most managed to dodge aside safely.  Avalanche was too slow, however, and was sent flying through the air as the ground beneath him exploded, crashing headfirst into a nearby piece of heavy machinery.  He almost regretted not bringing his helmet, but the thought of glass shattering atop of his head wasn't very appealing either.  As it was, he was simply rendered unconscious.

"X-Men!  Regroup!" shouted Cyclops, dodging another energy blast and rolling to his feet, snapping his hand against his visor and returning the blast with one of his own.  The sentinels -did- possess one remarkable flaw in the otherwise brilliant design.  They were big, they were tough, they were powerful.  But they weren't very fast.  Cyclops' optic beam ripped clear the things left shoulder, letting its arm coming crashing down.

By sharp contrast, Pyro wasn't faring to well against the sentinels at all.  Like their fight against the stone monoliths in Apocalypse's tomb in Egypt, his fire was all but worthless, bouncing harmlessly off the iron skin of the sentinels.  And of course, it didn't matter what shape he gave it, machines did not feel fear or anger or confusion.  So it was that the red-headed pyromaniac found himself fleeing, only to be swallowed up in a thick glob of green goo.  He lost awareness as it hardened.

The Scarlet Witch was also quickly subdued.  Nobody knew if the sentinels recognized her as a greater threat, or if Trask had programmed them with such knowledge, or even if she'd just been unlucky.  But whatever the case, her powers of manipulation failed to divert the great glob of green goo that coated her and hardened in seconds.  And Boom-Boom, because of her close proximity, was also taken down quickly, sucked up by the sticky green goo.

The remaining mutants began to bid a hasty retreat, firing optic blasts and flaming spikes and icicles at the sentinels, most of which bounce off harmlessly or failed to outright destroy them.  Any on a sentinel, anything short of destruction was wasting your time.  Spyke grabbed Avalanche as they ran and flung him over his shoulder, but there was nothing they could to help those in the green goo, it was much to heavy for those present to lift.  Energy blasts rained down upon the mutants as they ran for the exit, but two of the sentinels anticipated their move and cut off their escape.  Thus they found themselves trapped, cornered, and with virtually no means to fight off their opponents.  Trask and Spears grinned over at them from the safety of the back of the room, and gleefully watched as their problem began to fall.  Guy Spears shrugged and slipped the concentrated virus vial back into his jacket.  No sense in making use of it.  And of course, if there was a grain of truth in the mutant's words, he'd have it analyzed later.

The sentinels converged on the gathered mutants ominously, preparing to finish them off.

A roar suddenly split the air, coupled with a shriek and a war-cry.  The sounds of warriors attacking... or animals.  And to the relief of the mutants, they saw it was both.

Wolverine leapt up and slammed all six of his adamantium claws right into the sentinel's back, going straight for the things vital circuits and tearing into them with a vengeance.  Alongside him, X23 gracefully leapt clear over his head, aiming for the thing's neck and slicing its head clean off, letting it come crashing down to the ground.

Sentinels again sprang into action, aiming for their nearly destroyed comrade and the newly arrived mutants, launching deadly energy blasts at them.  Wolverine and X23 leapt aside, letting them finished off the sentinel, which fell backwards with a crash that shook the room.  Sabertooth joined the fray, the wild mutant leaping atop of the broken sentinel and letting out yet another of his characteristic roars.

With the arrival of Wolverine and X23, the battle began decidedly one-sided.  In favor of the mutants.  Sentinels began to fall left and right, unable to handle the onslaught of such powerful attackers.  Adamantium claws and optic blasts ripped them to pieces as Wolverine and Cyclops fought side-by-side.

"Never thought I'd be happy to see you again," remarked Cyclops.

"Shut up and watch your back, Cyke!" shouted Wolverine.  Seemed the warning was unnecessary, however.  Iceman had already noticed the sentinel and frozen the entire thing solid.  It'd take it an hour before it got out of that.

Shadowcat suddenly had a plan, but it required an important partner, and unfortunately Avalanche was unconscious.  Cyclops and Wolverine were busy... so was everybody else... there!

"Hey, uh, Sabertooth!" she shouted, getting the bigger mutant's attention.  "Up!" she shouted, holding her hands out before her, indicating what she wanted him to do.  Sabertooth's eyebrows shot up, but he complied reluctantly, interlacing his fingers at Shadowcat took a running start at him, stepping into his hands.  He launched her up into the air, and she took over from there.

Gravity had no effect on Shadowcat when she phased.  At least, so far as she'd been able to find out in the Danger Room when they'd tested her ability.  She could move down through the earth, or up just as easily.  Theoretically, it was even possible for her to fly while phasing, but she was a little reluctant to test this theory.  But now she felt almost like she was flying as she phased, her leap and Sabertooth's toss heading her straight towards one of the sentinels, and she passed right through the chest, landing gracefully behind it.

The sentinel short-circuited in moments, and then collapsed, twitching with little sparks of electricity along its frame.  And that was the last one.  Thus it was that Trask and Spears suddenly found themselves surrounded by a sea of unfriendly faces.  Or rather, just Spears had.  Trask had, inexplicably, vanished shortly after Wolverine and his comrades had arrived.

Spears fumbled at his jacket, holding out the vial.  It was his only protection now.

"Stay back!  I'll shatter this I swear!" he shouted.

"You do that and you'll get yourself killed too!" replied Bobby, as he iced down.  The fight was over, after all.  Now that had to try reasoning.

"Stay back!  Damnit I'm warning you all!" he said, and his hand shook fearfully.  Reluctantly, Cyclops ordered them to back away a few feet.  Spears looked crazy enough to do it.

That's when a loose beam suddenly shook.  The battle between the sentinels and the soldiers and the mutants had taken its toll on the factory, of course.  And this one beam, while not knocked down, was very loose.  And the stress 'caused it to now collapse.  The sound echoed throughout the facility, and the mutants tensed, as if expecting another sentinel to show up.

But Spears was terrified, and not thinking straight.  He misread their movements as a signal to attack, and flung the vial at the nearest one of them.  Bobby Drake.  He, in turn, could only watch in horror, as he threw up his hands to protect him instinctively, not able to think fast enough to conjure an ice-shield or something.

Suddenly a small body slammed into Bobby, and he caught sight of dark locks before he was hurled out of the way of the vial.  He hit the ground hard, and then looked up, watching as the vial shattered as it hit the temple of X23, the green contents splattering her face and upper body in seconds, and it was quite clear to any and all present that she'd been infected.  The mutants congregated around her, trying to help her, to get her cleaned off, even as she collapsed backwards, her body wracked by coughs that were the first stage of the virus.

Spears, seeing their attention was elsewhere, turned on his heel to escape, and slammed straight into the worst person he could've at that particular moment.  A short, stocky man with dark hair who grabbed him and pressed three adamantium claws to his throat.

Wolverine.

"I'm only gonna ask this once, bub," he growled darkly, pressing his sharp blades against Spear's throat.  Not enough to draw blood... not yet.  "What... is... the cure?"  Spears hesitated, his mouth open but no sound came out, and Wolverine shook him dangerously.  "What is it?!"

"There isn't one!" replied Guy, shaken to the core.  And despite his fear, Wolverine could tell he spoke the truth.

Wolverine growled darkly, rearing back his hand as if he intended to plunge all three of his blades deep in Guy Spear's head... but then at the last moment retracted them and just slammed his fist straight into his face, breaking his nose and his jaw and knocking him out for at least a month or so.

Grunting in mild satisfaction, Wolverine tossed him aside, and then made his way over towards X23.  She was tough, he knew that... but right now she was hurting, and he couldn't help her.  Her skin was covered in sickly green lesions, and from the looks on the gathered mutants, that didn't bode well.

"So there is no cure..." whispered Kitty softly, even as she helped Lance to his feet.  He'd regained consciousness, though his head still hurt abysmally.  All was silent then, as the impact dawned upon them.  There was no cure.  There was no way to save their friends and family.

"Bobby... get Sarah to the Blackbird," ordered Scott, breaking the silence.  "Alvers, give me a hand if you're up to it, we need to break out the captives," he said, indicating the mutants captured in the hard green goo.  "Wolverine, get the others back to the Institute, we'll stay here.  Get Sarah to the Danger Room, it's a makeshift med ward.  Beast will... will find a cure..." he added, but his voice choked on that last sentence, and it became abundantly clear even steadfast Cyclops had lost his faith.

Everyone snapped into action, glad to be able to do something... anything, at all.  Sabertooth vanished into the shadows as they carried out their tasks, but he'd done his part, and he had no claim to any of this any more.  Though, silently, he wished them luck.

The Blackbird roared through the air, back to the Institute. 

**Author's Notes:**

No cure.  Bet none of you saw that coming, didja?  If that shocked you, what comes next will blow your mind.  Sorry for the rather poor quality of the fight against the sentinels, but again I make the mistake of far too many fighters all in one room.  I really need to learn to divide them up into twos and threes.  But, my bad.  I'll work on that.  And now that the bad guys have been taken care of, all that remains is the virus and an ending.  Be it a happy one or a sad one.  You'll see soon enough.

Todd fan: That was my intention, to give everyone a little start and act surprised.  Glad it worked.  If you're reading this, you noticed I did close to the same thing with Lance above.  X23, however... well...

DoubleL27: Damn straight, I will.  It wasn't a literal body switch.  But I've seen plenty of those, and they're mostly humor (like this Kurt/Kitty where they switch bodies).  But yeah, I've seen a few stories where Lance and Scott come to terms and its good reading.  Maybe I'll do something like that later in my stories.

Comet-hime: You'd marry any of these x-girls, and you know it!  Definitely go with the harem, but X23's mine so hands off!  Glad you love the insight into Spyke and Scarlet Witch, more of that to come.  Plenty of mushy moments to come, you just worry about my subscription!  I want my issues!

Taineyah: Amyro isn't evil.  But seriously, those two never even met face to face!  Everyone just thinks they're cute 'cause of their abilities!  I say (*censored*) that!  These are the same people who said Iceman and Magma would look cute because of -opposing- abilities!  (*censored*) that too!  I only work with couples who have chemistry!

Nessie6: She remembers nothing.  At the end of Nullification, Wanda's memory was, at her own request, changed so she remembered only the happy, false images Mastermind showed her.  And yes, I did notice she was perhaps a tad weaker.  But people who want to fight, tend to fight better than those who don't want to.  As for Magneto, him later.  Trust me, I got somethin' planned for the Brotherhood (plus one Sister).

Deb1: Well thank you, glad you enjoy my combat writing work.  I do pride myself on it, but at the same time I'm overly critical of my own work.

Risty: Well that is interesting knowledge, I'll bear it in mind.  I'll have to read your stories to find out more.  As for the action, glad you liked it.  I was going for that kind of effect, just a little.

Aro: Why, so you can get lost again?  I updated at my pace, you read at yours, deal?  Hope you enjoyed my other stories, like Weapon X24 and Nullification.  Or even the little fics like African Fire, Nightmares or Blue Christmas.

Ray1: Oh trust me, Trask and Spears will both get what's coming to them.  I am going to come down on them with the Hammer of God.  Hard.  Already did come down on Spears with the Adamantium Fist of God.  Very painful, believe you me.

Rogue14: You didn't see that coming?  Muwahahaha!  Believe me, I have done nothing evil until I bring about the most feared sentinel ever... Nimrod!  And believe me, some day I shall.  All that you saw in Ascension shall come to pass.  Eventually.

Nessie6: Hehe ya, Sabertooth gets plenty of time in my stories.  I can't tell why.  Ah well, power to Quicksilver.  But Flash has his moments too.  A match between them would be something to see... if someone could slow down the instant replay enough to actually see them.  Okay, please review those two, I love reviews!  Ehehehe, delicious reviews!


	15. XV

The flight back to the Institute was utterly silent.  Even Bobby was devoid of his usual wisecracking.  The same thoughts echoed through everyone's minds.  No cure... no cure... no cure.

They touched down in the hangar, and Logan immediately picked up Sarah and carried her with him to the Danger Room, bumping into Moira on the way.  Recognizing her as an old friend of Chuck's, he followed her as she ushered him and the sick girl into the Danger Room, after taking some preventive measures to keep Logan and herself safe from the virus.  Bobby was taking the jet back to rendezvous and pick up the other members of the team, as Logan met with the resident eggheads and asked if they'd found a cure.  Well, asked was a strong word.

"No, we've not had any luck," replied Hank, his eyelids dropping, his fur bristled.  He hadn't had much sleep lately.  And with good reason.  The deadline was posted on the wall of the lab, out of the eyes of the students.  Five hours, twenty-three minutes, forty-one seconds.  Forty seconds.  Thirty-nine.

Time was running out.

"There has to be something we can do," said Logan angrily.

"We're doin' all we can Logan, ya know that," said Moira, trying to reassure him.  She had no idea who the girl was he'd brought in, but she was a very empathic individual.  She could sense they shared some sort of bond... kinship, almost.

Logan growled, stalking out of the lab, stalking out of the Institute.  He sat down on the edge of the fountain, resisting the urge to pop his claws and tear everything around him to bits.  Scientists.  Doctors.  He hated them all.  Hated them for what they did to himself, to X23, and to this world.  For every breakthrough that came closer to curing cancer, a half-dozen others had been invented to destroy and control people's lives, to play god and decide who lived and who died.  This virus was proof to that.

And now Sarah... the closest thing Logan had to family... might die because of it.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Any luck Hank?"

"None," he replied, his same response for the past thirty times the Professor had asked him.

"I have that blood sample from X23, as you requested... perhaps this enhanced version of the virus carries some answers.  We've placed her in a specially isolated ward just in case."

"Wise move," remarked Hank, sipping his coffee as he took the sample, placing it under the microscope and again taking a look at the blood.  Professor Xavier wheeled out, leaving the resident scientists alone.  MacTaggert and Patronete and McCoy.

Blood cells floated aimlessly in front of the microscope, even as the smaller, green virus cells quickly scattered among them, in much higher numbers now.  X23's blood had the concentrated form of the virus, after all.  It was far more deadly.  She'd be dead within the hour, if Spears spoke the truth.

Hmmmm... that was curious.  The cell count was that of a healthy cell, not an infected one.  Hank adjusted the microscope, diving in deeper.  There, the virus... it moved in on the cell... but something... repelled it.  A click, and he'd moved in closer.  There, that's what it was.

"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie," he whispered, quoting Shakespeare.  "Lady, Gentleman," he stated, getting the attention of Moira and Patronete.  He was grinning like an idiot, but it was worth the sacrifice to his dignity.  "I... have... found it!"

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

X23's eyes fluttered open.  She'd never felt so weak in her entire life.  And she'd once been starved an entire week for Hydra to observe how long she could go without food and water.  But even then, she could still stand, could still walk... now she felt like she could barely open her jaw, should she want to.

Her vision finally managed to come into sharp focus, and as she peered up, she wasn't entirely surprised to see Logan looking down at her.  Though to her surprise, he didn't seem the least bit concerned.

"Hey kid... how're you feelin'?"

"Well I was doin' fine 'til I woke up," she replied with a grunt.  A soft, sharp pain pierced her arm, and glanced over to see that Hank was drawing out some of her blood into a needle.  "What's going on?"

"We've found our cure to this horrible virus," stated Hank, tapping the syringe and admiring the blood contained therein.

"What cure?"

"You, my dear," he stated, knuckling his way back to the lab, leaving a confused X23 and Logan to try and explain things to her.

"What is he talking about?" she asked softly.

"We think we finally figured out why Spears and Trask had you, me, and our big buddy Sabertooth captured while they let loose the virus," he explained, leaning on the back of the chair.  "We all possess an advanced healing factor.  Sarah... we're immune to the virus.  You caught it, and the worst you'll have in an hour is a sniffle.  Your body is producing antibodies that are fighting the virus."

"But... how did Spears know... he said he didn't have a cure..."

"He knew the three of us would be immune.  Or he suspected, at any rate... but he couldn't have imagined that your body holds the cure to all the infected people.  Mutants and humans.  Your blood is going to save countless lives, Sarah."

Then he did something very un-Logan-like.  He smiled.  A big, happy smile, no less.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I seem to be getting into the habit of thank you, Professor X," said Fury, extending his hand and shaking Xavier's.  "You didn't listen to me, but I'll overlook that."

"Thank you, Mr. Fury," he replied generously.  "I trust SHIELD will have little difficulty in helping us to get the antibodies around the world?"

"We'll have to work through our intermediaries, but yes we'll handle that.  You only need to worry about the Institute now, Professor.  Deborah... go give them a hand down in the lab," he stated.

The blond scientist nodded, joining Moira and Patronete as they continue their work to distribute the miracle cure to the dreadful Legacy Virus.  And Professor X and Nicholas Fury shared a moment where they were both thankful that, yet again, disaster had been averted by the hands of a few brave young kids.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cure was tested, of course, the antibodies drawn from X23 modified so there would be no chance of rejection.  Then Hank and the other scientists began mass producing them in great quantities, until liters of the cure filled the lab, and even more were being passed around the Danger Room by the able bodied.  After, of course, being given a small dose.  They were henceforth immune, as the other mutants would be once they recovered.  The miracle cure was working, and people on the brink of death were being brought back to life and health.  Slowly, to be sure, far slower than X23 herself, but it was more than any of them could have hoped for.

As it was, after the battle at the abandoned complex, SHIELD was called in, and they were more than happy to help continue production and distribution of the cure.  Even now they were sending relief planes to the more isolated parts of the world, as well as their own top people in the field of medicine to the cities of the United States.  Slowly, but surely, the virus was being fought, and there was amazingly few casualties.  Here and there, in parts of the world, the cure came too late, and mutants and humans alike fell victim to the machinations of hate-filled men.

Through it all, at the Xavier Institute, there was joy as friends and family were reunited.  Mutant and human alike.  They didn't see such barriers, they were all people.

And, as John found out, there was still nothing on TV.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The board of directors for the Legacy company will continue with business during the investigation into the outbreak of the so-called "Legacy Virus."  Back to you, Phil..."

Click.

"... and we're told that it was Hank McCoy, of the Xavier Institute, who came up with the miracle cure that has, effectively, saved countless lives.  Hank McCoy, a promising teacher at Bayville high before a freak change..."

Click.

"...statement that the fugitive Bolivar Trask is still at large, while his accomplice Guy Spears, an promising young businessman, has been taken into the custody of the CIA, to face charges..."

Click.

"...And we have received reports that the poisoned water in Dark Hollow is being cleaned up as we speak..."

Click.

The TV mercifully shut off, and John sighed, whirling the remote in his hands as he leans his head back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Great bloodae god awful 'ell... I save the world, get knocked on me head, get stuck in goo that takes bloodae HOURS to get out of my hair," he remarked, running a hand through his now clean crimson locks.  "And I still can't see WIGGLES?!  There is no justice in this world!  Bloody hell."

"Mr. Allerdyce," came a cold voice from behind him.  John immediately snapped to his feet, turning to face his employer.  Magneto.

"Uh, yes sir?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Come with me," he stated, beckoning, as he made his way back down the corridors of the Institute, followed closely by the psychotic red-head, who was mumbling to himself as he was wont to do.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slowly, in twos and threes, patients were fixed up and deemed fit to leave the med ward in the Danger Room, which was rapidly diminishing.  There had been no casualties.  They'd been very fortunate.  Slowly, the Institute began to again fill with life, and laughter, and happiness.  It was subdued happiness though.  Not that they weren't happy.  Hank had retired, getting some much deserved rest.  And they wanted to keep quiet for the man who'd managed to save all their lives, and many more.

So it was that they started talking to one another, stealing moments of privacy to air out their personal closets and clear the air with their friends and loved ones.  Nothing like a near-end-of-the-world scenario to put things into perspective. 

**Author's Notes:**

No, that's not it.  Come on, give me some credit.  Plenty more to come, with the couples and families coming together for enough sappy moments to make you all reach for the tissues.  Plus, ya'll are probably wondering what Magneto's gonna do to Pyro.  You'll find out soon enough.  I know some of you were rooting for character deaths, but I'm afraid not.  If I killed off anybody I'd be swarmed by their fans and castrated.  Well, except for maybe Jean, since nobody likes Evo Jean.  Nope, sorry, not gonna happen.  Did you like my idea for the cure though?  I got the idea from a TAS episode where Wolverine was purposefully infected with a virus that, for all intensive purposes, was the "Not-quite-the-Legacy" Virus.  I mean, it was a kids show, after all.  I am fully aware the Legacy Virus of the comics, properly a viroid, had no cur, and it claimed all sorts of lives like Moira and Pyro and Colossus.  I am taking creative license... love it or leave it!  Hehehe.

Todd fan: Oh come on, you know X23 is the last person I would ever kill in one of my stories.  If I do, she can never grow up to be a hot babe and run away to some deserted island with me.  And don't fret, there's your cure and both your lovable Todd and Forge are alive and healthy again.

Raphaela: Well as you can see, I lied.  Still think I'm evil?  No one has died and it comes back to a big happy ending, like all my other stories.  Glad you liked the battle scenes though.

Nessie6: That something for the Brotherhood (plus a Sister) to come next chapter.  But at least they're all alive and healthy again, right?  I did good?  Hehehe.  Holy (*censored*) you're right, I replied to you twice!  ARRRRRGH!!!

Cookies_n_cream_2008: Is answer question?  There was a cure, Guy Spears just didn't know about it.  And now everything has gone back to normal.  Hooray!  Now I can continue to torment the mutants in future stories.

Risty: Does that answer your question?  Word of advice.  I will -never- kill X23.  Ever.  She is my all time absolute favorite character (sorry Rogue) and I will never do away with her.  Like it'd be easy anyway.  Glad you like the Shadowcat phasing, I noticed lots of people complaining about that when they fought the prototype Sentinel.  Pairing her with Sabertooth was just a stroke of genius.

Sandoz: Yeah, Karma's a bitch.  That's why I only torment the characters a little and give them all happy endings.  Except the really mean ones like Mesmero.  Its not animosity its good natured camaraderie.  They just exchange insults in a friendly sort of way, like most males.  You cheater!  Comic-reader!  Nah, s'okay.  But -I- have a strange twist in store!  Muwahahaha!  Wow, you got lots of current projects.  Can't wait to see them when they're up.

Taineyah: Psychic alert!  Psychic alert!  You foresaw the future!  Oh my various gods!  *runs around in circles screaming*  You're Destiny in disguise, aren't you?!  Confess!  Confess!!

Bleedingmoon89: 'Course X23 is a hero.  'cause I love her so much.  And its good to get chicken pox, at least its out of the way.  Hope I've managed to alleviate all those terrible fears you had.

Ray1: You wouldn't be the first psychic I've had to deal with.  If not, I've met more useless tools in my shed, believe you me.  But you're thinkin'... I like that.  Tell me, where you right?  Did you see my masterful plan?

Elrohirthewriter: Oh your muses assistance will not be needed, tell her to take the day off.  And yeah, Wanda certainly has that "do not F*** with me" aura about her.  Even after she's mellowed out by Mastermind.  Must get it from her dad, ya think?

Ayce Shade: If you like this, feel free to check out Nullification and my other previous works.  Also high quality, and since they're prequels to this you need to read them anyway to understand a few plot elements.  But still, thank you for the review.

Optic Red: Well apparently I can't make it anymore obvious, if everyone and their dog figured out what I'm doing!  Damn you all to hell!  I thought I was being pretty clever, but I guess not.  Guess I'll have to settle for writing really good characterizations and inner thoughts.

Rogue14: Nope, I think my genre works fine where it is.  There was a cure, see?  Besides, half my audience figured it out before I'd even written it in.  And I say you write more ASAP!  Write more of that Scott-Rogue romance you were working on.  DO IT!

Kat: Is answer question?  Wanda was stuck in those green goo, so Avalanche and Cyclops stayed behind to break her out.  They arrived back to receive the cure like everybody else.  You didn't seriously think I'd kill off so many people, did you?  For shame.


	16. XVI

She found him outside at the infamous gazebo of the Xavier Institute, all alone.  The snow had long since melted, and though the ground was muddy and the wind was cold, it might as well have been spring, for all the beauty the students saw in it.  Everyone was eager to get out of the lab.  He was just staring out at the horizon, watching the sun set on what had been a very trying day... for all of them.  She smiled faintly, making her way closer before announcing her presence.

"Hey... is this spot taken?" she asked, standing next to him and leaning against the railing as he was.

"Jean... no, of course not," he said, turning to face her, smiling that warm smile that never failed to reassure her.

"You must be tired, Scott," she remarked, trying to find something to say.  "Bobby went to bed exhausted... you can't tell me you're not the same.  You wore yourself out in that fight."

"Far be it for me to argue with a telepath," replied Scott, giving Jean another smile.  "But I can't sleep right now," he added.

"Why?"

"I'm scared," he replied, his voice lowering so that the Sam and Rahne, busy playing frisbee nearby, wouldn't have overheard him.

"Scared of what?" she asked, lowering her voice as well.  She, better than anyone else, knew that Scott was a deeply private individual.  He seemed like the honest sort and he was, but he had his own little inner demons that needed confrontation once in a while too.  He wasn't perfect.

"Jean..." he said softly, placing his hands over hers.  She squeezed back softly.  "You know that link we have... that bond we share?"

She nodded softly.  It was never something far from her thoughts, her telepathic bond with Scott.  She was surprised it was on his mind, however.  While she was able to sense a great deal about Scott, even when separated by vast distances, he could barely feel the link at all.  Then again, he wasn't very attuned to the workings of his psyche the way she and most other telepaths were.

"I... I felt like it was gone, for a moment.  While I was away from the Institute... I thought I'd lost you," he murmured, his voice choking on emotion.

Jean gently wrapped her arms around Scott's neck and drew him in close.  She sighed softly, comforting him in her embrace.  She didn't want to tell him.  Hank had told her, and so far as she knew he was the only one who knew.  Well, and Professor X.  As Evan had once put it, it was impossibly to keep anything from their telepathic mentor.  Jean had, for a few brief seconds, passed on.  Her heartbeat had flat-lined, and she'd barely been brought back.  Hank had been very worried about her.  This had been while the healthy mutants were away battling sentinels and soldiers.  Even when their powers had been nullified, their link had stayed.  Only death could break it completely.

She didn't tell him that, though.  It was the last thing he needed to hear.

"I'll always be with you," she assured him.  "I promise."

He nodded silently, still holding her close.

Jean smiled, feeling nowhere more comfortable than in Scott's arms.  She lifted her head, about to closer her eyes when she noticed something.  Sam was about to give a shout of warning, but Jean raised her hand, and the frisbee stopped inches from the back of Scott's head, and he was not even vaguely aware of it.

Sam and Rahne jogged up to retrieve it, Rahne reverting to her human form as she bounded up alongside him.  Jean smiled, gesturing with her hand and returning the frisbee to Sam's hands.

"Sorry 'bout that," said Sam, as Scott realized what was happening and reluctantly broke his embrace of his redheaded girlfriend.

"Fine, no problem... just play on the other side of the yard, alright?" he asked.

"Sure thing," he replied, immediately running off.  Rahne giggled, morphing back into her wolf form as she bounded after him, playfully nipping at his heels.

Scott and Jean just stood their, gazing out at the sun as it set, just happy to be in each other's presence.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You... you cannot be serious."

Wanda's statement was quickly echoed in similar terms by most of the other members of the Brotherhood.  They were gathered in the front hallway of the Xavier Institute.  They'd been preparing to return back to the boarding house, when their on and off again employer and provider had stopped them, saying he had something important to tell them.

But this... this was unthinkable!

"I am very serious, Mr. Tolenski," stated Magneto in very cold tones.  Toad immediately cowered behind his favorite hiding spot... behind Wanda's legs.  Fortunately she was a little too shocked at the moment to smack him.

"But... but... where'll we find the room?" asked Lance, grabbing for any possible escape from such a horrible fate.  "We've got no more space left.  All the rooms are filled, well..."

"You will -find- room," stated Magneto.  "Like it or not, Pyro is going to be living at the Brotherhood Boarding house."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Callisto... think this is yours," said Evan with a smile, handing back her iron staff.  Callisto accepted it, using it as much as a crutch as a symbol of authority.  She hadn't fully recovered yet, and her strength was still very much beyond her.

"You made a good leader in my absence, Spyke," she stated.

"It was terrifying," he replied.  "You can keep your job."

She laughed softly at that, hefting the staff over her shoulder as she and Evan rejoined the other Morlocks, who were scattered over the Xavier Institute in various places, examining their surroundings.  Thus, it was hard to find them all quickly.  Fortunately they quickly ran across Calliban, and he was instrumental in locating the others.  Like Torpid, who was playing marbles with Jamie... or Façade, who was rummaging through the fridge... or even Lucid, who was in the flower garden.  They were all gathered together at the gates to the Institute, just out of sight of any passerby.

It was going to be difficult for them to leave, Callisto realized.  She hated this, hated bringing them here.  This Institute gave a false hope, a hope that mutants could live in peace with humans.  They couldn't.  They would never except those who looked like the Morlocks.  Even Evan had realized this in time.  They only needed each other.

Callisto opened her mouth to speak, but Spyke beat her too it.

"Come on everyone... let's go home," he said.

The Morlocks followed him and Callisto without a word of complaint.  And only Torpid lingered, waving to Jamie, who watched from a nearby window, as she skipped after Callisto and Evan, and they found a manhole.  Spyke kicked it open, catching the cover, and the Morlocks descended back into the darkness, heading home to the Alley.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tabby sighed, tilting her head back and letting the hot, steamy water wash over her sore body.  Getting smacked around by giant robots tended to do that to even the most hardy of individuals.  And right now she really envied the invulnerability of her former housemate the Immovable Blob.  She certainly didn't envy anything else he had, however.  The kid had a sweet heart, though.  She knew.

She was relaxing, as she was wont to, in the women's hot tub in the basement of the Institute.  Sub-level two, same as the locker rooms with their X-Man uniforms. It had been installed a year or so ago, as well as the men's adjacent. A third had been added out of necessity for Kurt and Hank, specially designed to drain out any leftover fur.  Tabby sighed again, content in the hot water which never failed to put her in a good mood.  She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the rim of the hot tub, deaf and blind to the world until she heard a single word.

"Tabby?"

Tabby's eyes shot open as she heard that voice.  Amara.  Tabby shivered a little, sliding deeper under the water of the tub.  She didn't know why she bothered.  Despite her natural inclinations she was wearing a suit, as was required when using the public hot tubs.  And besides, she never felt like she had to hide her body before.  But something about Amara always made her... just a little nervous, even as her presence soothed her.

"Oh, hey girl... come to join me?" she asked, then mentally smacked herself for asking such a stupid question.  Of course she was, you dolt, she told herself.  Why else would she be standing there in a bathing suit?  She's not putting on a fashion show for you.

"Yeah, if you don't mind company that is," replied Amara meekly.

"Long as its yours," said Tabby with her trademark grin, scooting her legs back to give Amara room.  Amara smiled, grabbing a Do Not Disturb sign and hanging it over the handle of the door as she closed it, then slipped into the hot water across from Tabby, sighing contently.

"Just what I need right now... healing bubble water," replied Amara with a smile, mimicking Tabitha's phrase from their ill-fated Caribbean Cruise.  Tabitha, catching her reference, laughed openly as she flung her head back.

"Amara... can I talk to you about something?" asked the blonde-haired girl quietly.

"Sure... what is it?"

"I... I care you," she whispered softly, lowering her gaze.  "Listen I didn't want to speak about this before.  But, today... we nearly lost you.  And I realized I'd never get a chance to say how I felt.  So... so now I want to say it.  I've been given another chance and I don't want to waste it."

"Alright," replied Amara, equally quiet.  She braced herself, unsure of what was coming.  "Tell me."

"I love you," said Tabby.  There it was, she'd said it.  She'd bared her soul and given in to her feelings.

Amara was literally stunned for a moment.  She liked Tabby, that much was obvious, they were best of friends.  But, but this... it boggled the mind.  She wasn't completely ignorant of course, but she'd never suspected such a thing coming from Tabitha Smith.  And, to put it mildly, she didn't know what to say.

A long, uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

"Amara...?" asked Tabby, suddenly nervous.  What if Amara rejected her, thought she was sick or perverted for doing this.  "Please say something."

Amara nodded thoughtfully, as if she'd come to a decision, then drifted over through the steamy hot water and planted a soft kiss on Tabitha's lips.  Heck, she couldn't think of anything... except the kiss.  It wasn't her first, though she abruptly realized something.  It was Amara's first.  During the tenure of their friendship Tabby had once asked Amara about her personal life.  She'd never been kissed before.

The kisses ended far too soon, and for once the blonde bombshell could think of no witty remark or snappy comeback.

"That's for telling me how you feel, Tabby," stated Amara quietly, her dark brown eyes boring into Tabby's blue ones.  "I... I care about you too but... I need time to... to sort through my feelings."

"Sure girl... go ahead, take all the time you need... I can wait," replied Tabitha with uncharacteristic kindness.  And patience.  Because she meant every word.  "I just... wanted you to know.  In case something happened, you know... that's all I care about."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Brotherhood left in a similar manner, bidding their good-bye's to the Institute kids and reluctantly piling into Lance's jeep.  They'd accepted Magneto's offer (like they had much of a choice) and John would be living in what had previously been a storage basement.  In a way it was a good idea.  The walls were cerement and thus it was less likely he'd burn the whole house down around them.

John was quite the animated conversationalist on the way back.  Which was slightly odd considering absolutely nobody was talking back to him.  Well, except Fred, once he wandered into the topic of cooking.  And -that- led to the topic of a celebration barbeque.  Armed with a little extra spending money from dear ol' Mags, Pietro leapt out of the still moving jeep and zipped to the store to gather what they needed.  He arrived back roughly the same time they did, and then only because he stopped to pay the clerk, instead of just snatching what they wanted and running before anyone saw him.

"This is your place?" asked John, stepping into the living room.  He'd changed into his civvies before leaving the Institute, and had all his worldly possessions stuffed into a bag over his shoulder.  And, of course, his lighter in his hands.  "Hmmmm... well I've seen worse, I guess.  You guys get cable?" he asked, glancing at Lance.

"More or less," he replied.

"I love this place!" shouted John suddenly, giving Lance a huge hug, to his disgust, then with a whoop grabbed the remote and immediately began channel surfing. 

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eric rejoined his old friend Charles on the balcony overlooking the Institute.  Even thought it was growing dark, and number of his students were down below, playing games in the fading sunlight.  He could still make out the little boy, Multiple, being chased by Jubilee and now Sunspot, in some version of tag he didn't recognize.

"It is times like this I am reminded why we fight," remarked Eric quietly, watching the children beneath them.  Charles nodded quietly, agreeing with him on that much at least.  Their particular methods of how to fight differed, but their cause was in some ways similar.

"Don't you ever wonder, Charles, if mankind will never accept us?  What then, would you do?"

"Continue to dream," he replied, calmly, still facing forward.  "And fight for that dream."  Out of the corner of his eye, Professor X caught sight of a small plane leaving the hangar, flying out over the horizon, and bid another silent farewell to his colleague and friend Moira MacTaggert as she returned home to Muir Island.  He'd already bid her farewell in person down in the hangar, only moments earlier.

"Ain't that bad of a dream," came a gruff voice behind them both, as Logan joined Eric and Charles on the balcony.  "I've seen stranger things happen."

"Such as?" asked Eric quietly.

"You've lived almost as long as I have," replied Logan, glancing at their on again, off again enemy.  "You've seen that mankind can be evil.  But its growing, I say.  Its learning.  Even without mutations, most of the kids here would've led persecuted lives a long time ago.  Two hundred years ago," he remarked, pointing at Ororo as she watered the outside plants "'Ro and her nephew... heck the whole family, would be nothing more than slaves.  An another century before that," he added, pointing over at Rahne as she caught a frisbee in her mouth, carrying it back over to Sam on all fours.  "Rahne'd be burned at the stake."

"Being a werewolf?" asked Eric, seeking clarification.

"Wiccan," interjected Charles smoothly.  "I believe Logan refers to the days of Salem."

"Didn't even need to read my mind... or didja, Chuck?" he asked with a smirk.

"What is your point, Logan?  Mankind may overlook such trivial matters like skin color and religion... but we are mutants.  We are powerful.  We are different from them," stated Eric.

"No, we ain't.  We're all people.  And my point is that sometimes man can't see that, even if its right up in his face.  But eventually they'll learn.  Heck, may even be sometime during my lifetime," he remarked with a smirk.

"Perhaps," remarked Eric quietly.  "But if you are wrong... I intend to be ready," he stated, placing his helmet upon his head and levitating himself upward.  He floated off into the horizon without so much as backward glance at his old friend.  Though he did hear his last words.

"Farewell, Eric."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, far be it for me to wear out my welcome..."

"Too late for that, cajun."

"Dat hurts, chere... really it does," remarked Remy, shrugging on his trademark trench coat.  "Besides, if its too late, dat makes things easier in the long run."

"Pardon?"

"Thought I'd hang around for a while.  Dat is, if its okay with you..." he stated with a smile, his red on black eyes boring into Rogue's green ones.

"What're ya talking about?  Ya say ya want to... to... to live here?" she asked.

"Just for a little while.  Remy need to get his strength back, is all.  Plus, haven't got much anywhere to go right now.  Things getting' a little too hot down in Nwaleans, if ya get my drift," he stated quietly.  "Rippers reformed and got really violent… and wit me sick an all, dad thought it best I make myself scarce.  That's when I had Magneto bring me here."

"Oh?  Is ya dad ahlright?" she asked, suddenly concerned.  She hadn't care much for the elder LeBeau, but Gambit did, and he was in trouble...

"Nah, Jean-Luc fine... hidin' out in grand ol' Pari.  'course, don't tell anyone I said that, otherwise I'd have ta kill 'em," he stated with mock humor, idly flipping a card between his hands in a nervous habit he'd picked up.  Rogue gave a snicker at his joke.  She knew for a fact Remy didn't like killing people.  Just robbin' 'em blind.

"Ahlright fahne.  Ah'll go ask the Professor if he'll let you stay.  But if you do stay here we got plenty of rules ya got to follow.  And one of the big ones is stealin,'" she stated gruffly, folding her arms.

"I'll follow your rules, provided you don't make me wear one of them silly uniforms.  Besides, you just broke a big rule, chere."

"What rule?"

"Stealin' Remy's heart..." he said with a smirk, leaning in close, and Rogue again stammered.  Jeez, how did he do that?  Just when she thought she'd make a good shot at him he'd turn it around and against her.

"Ya'll're really somethin', swamp rat," she stated angrily.  "You know damn well I can't touch, why do you bother...?"

"Remy like a challenge," he stated quietly.  Then, with a deft motion of his hands, held out a piece of silk... the very piece... Rogue checked her pockets.  That bastard!  He'd taken it right out of her pocket while they'd been talking!

"Oh look, what is dis?" he asked with a smirk, stretching it between both hands.  Before she could managed to form a reply (or at least, a coherent reply) he'd leaned in, placing his lips against the silk and through it against hers, giving her the second kiss she'd ever received since discovering her powers (she did not like to think of that one she'd received while they'd been nullified... EVER).  And Rogue, unable to come up with a proper reply, just relaxed into the kiss, and let her teenaged hormones take over.  And felt happy.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ororo bid a fond farewell to her favorite (alright, only) nephew and floated up and past the roof of the Institute, stretching out her limbs.  She'd never felt so good in her entire life.  She could feel totally in sync with nature again, and it felt glorious.  She felt like a Goddess again, even though she held no such delusions about her life anymore.

"It is good to be alive," she murmured, closing her eyes and floating amongst the clouds.  Normally she never flew or used her powers frivolously, but today she felt like enjoying herself.  Letting the winds become her soft cushion as she lay amongst the ivory clouds, carefully out of sight of the citizens of Bayville below, yet below the line normally followed by aircraft.  No sense in getting run over while in mid-air, she thought.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room was shrouded in shadows, the figures therein could be seen only as vague outlines of themselves.  They gathered around an equally dark table.  They could not seen one another, but those present had no need for eyes.  Words were exchanged, but no names were mentioned.

The first figure rose from his spot at the head of the table, shrouded in darkness.

"Gentlemen," he began.  "And lady, of course," he added as an afterthought.  "Gathered at this table are some of the most powerful, and influential mutants in all the world.  We have among us the potential to rule.  To do whatever we wish, answering only to one another.  Already our organization's influences, legitimate and otherwise, have stretched worldwide.  And none even know our names."

"Why then, I wonder?" remarked one figure in a deep voice.  "Do we have one empty chair at this table?" he asked, indicating a spot between one of his companions and the shadowy lady who'd been addressed earlier.

"Indeed.  There is a reason, I assure you.  Because our power is incomplete.  This is why I brought him," he added, indicating a slightly shorter, slightly stockier figure sitting next to the first and the empty spot.  "The unique nature of his powers will be the key to unlocking our final member.  And then… limitless power will be ours."

"Sounds like fun," remarked the only female member present.

"And we need only wait… our plans are always in motion.  It is only a matter of time before things come full circle."

**Author's Notes:**

No, that's not it either.  I've barely begun to write the sappy happy endings you'll be forced to see.  Or the multitude of cameos.  Or did you not yet notice I haven't covered Kurt and Amanda!  That's what happened to Pyro, he's joined the Brotherhood.  As seen in Ascension, this was inevitable.  Plenty more of the new Brotherhood and its wacky antics to come later, but for now just the gradual return home of the non-Institute mutants.  Poor Morlocks, living in that dank sewer.  Hope you enjoyed Torpid and Jamie's brief interaction though.  If not for the fact that she's mini-Rogue, in about five-ten years those two would make a cute couple.  And of course, the couple scenes.  I hope you all enjoyed the first... as it won't last long!  Muwahahahaha!  I seriously hope I didn't offend anyone with the Tabby-Amara.  Believe me, I could've done much worse than just one girl on girl kiss.  Hope you all also enjoyed my conversation with Eric, Charles and Logan.  Seemed somehow fitting for Logan to be the voice of reason between those two, since he's seen firsthand what man can do, yet he remains hopeful.  And, of course, something for the large number of Rogue-Remy fans out there.  The kiss she's referring to was in 'Nullification.'  Read that if you wanna find out who it was, I won't spoil it.  As stated above, am gradually working towards the future glimpses seen in Ascension.  Thus, while Remy was not a member of the future team, he was seen in the big Institute photo.  Thus, he stays around... for now.  But I have more on that next chapter, to outline specifics.  Oh, and his comment about not wear an X-Man uniform?  I stole that from Julia345's "End and the Beginning."  Julia writes Remy so much better than I do.  Oh, and I snuck in a little something to allow for sinister foreshadowing.  Not for Annihilation, but beyond that, for Redemption.

DoubleL27: Well truth be told I also prefer sap to angst, but you can't really have one without the other.  At least, not and have a good story.  Hope this chapter had plenty of it for ya.  Also glad you liked my Evo take on the Legacy Virus.  And I had planned to kill of a few, but I couldn't decided on who.

Comet-hime: Wonderful, I've been waiting for the mail to come for ages now.  And don't let those models give you any trouble now, here?  I'll send over Leech to nullify their powers, make them easier to manage.  And yes, here's your TabbyAmara scene, as promised.

JustAnObsessedFan: Well, there's your sap.  Enough sap you could blow your nose with a pancake, no less.  And of course I can't kill someone like Toad.  He's comic relief in the Brotherhood.  He's just so underappreciated.

Rogue14: I'll live, if you call that living… *sobs in a corner*  You are evil!  Evil!  Evil!  Evil!  Evil!  But I understand, some stories you just can't work on as fast as you want.  Believe me, I know.  Its all good.  You know I was just kidding.  I'm glad I have such a loyal fan.

Todd fan: Of course there's more!  Gotta have stuff for not-dead Todd and Forge to do.  I mean, dead people just decompose, but living people gotta do stuff.  Interesting stuff, dontcha know?

Raphaela: Evil is very good.  But as you can tell from my work, I'm about evil, followed by climactic good vs. evil, followed by sappy moments, followed by everything back to normal, followed by lunch.  Just a happy little pattern I've gotten into.  Glad you're enjoying it.

Nessie6: Wiggles is some Australian kids show I heard mentioned, I don't know what its about, hence I avoid details about it.  Character deaths will commence when I'm damn good and ready!  I mean I still wanna kill Jean really bad.

Risty: Muwahaha.  I'll kill plenty later.  And I'm afraid I'm not a very good writer of Australian, and I'm only good at British because my dad is such.  And I do know Neighbours, actually… I saw it once in England while visiting my grandparents.  Maybe Pyro will watch that though, he is a gothic romance author.

Taineyah: Well glad you enjoyed it, at least.  Always a good thing.  And actually, biologically speaking, I dunno if it does make a whole heck of a lot of sense.  But ah well, my audience likes it, so I'll smooth over that plot hole and move along to what we all enjoy… sap!

Kat: I know exactly what you mean.  I've also seen like a dozen Age of Apocalypse Evo style stories out there as well… which is what I'm going to be trying next.  I hope I do a good job.  It's a semi-sequel.  It mentions elements of this, like Infection mentioned Nullification and my other stories, but you could read it alone and still be satisfied.

Dark_serpeant89: Well, I do like to throw surprises and suspense at my audience, but its hard sometimes when half of 'em are frickin' telepaths!  Thank you for compliment, will indeed continue good work.  For as long as you all can put up with me.  And maybe a bit longer.

Elrohirthewriter: I see no reason to slay Irene, so you keep your muse under control.  Or at least take her scythe away for a bit.  But glad you're liking my work, hope you enjoyed the couplings above and in the coming chapter.  Also pleased you liked what happened with X23 and the cure and all.


	17. XVII

There was a muffled bamf, and Kurt and Amanda appeared next to the local Bayville hospital.

"Okay, they said they'd be here… let's go," he said, starting to lead her along.  She stopped, gently grabbing his wrist.

"Kurt wait, your holowatch, remember?" she asked.  "You… you don't want to be seen do you?"

"Oh ja… thanks," he said, flicking it back on.  The two young teenagers raced inside.

They'd arrived at Amanda's house shortly after Kurt had been released from the intensive care of the Institute.  But neither of her parents had been home.  Half fearful they were also sick with the virus, Kurt and Amanda had found a note saying they were at the local hospital.  A short teleport and they were there.

A friendly nurse directed them to one of the back rooms, as she moved to help release one of the many plague victims that had been cured.  It had been a miracle, and Kurt was deeply thankful.  He'd be including this in his nightly prayers when he got a chance, but for now his liebchen and her family needed him.

They found Amanda's mother and father easily enough, Margali was lying on the bed, but she was smiling as the two of them were joined by Kurt and Amanda.  Apparently she'd also caught the illness, but had managed to make a complete recovery, and would be able to leave the hospital in the morning.  Mr. Sefton hadn't even gotten a case of the sniffles.

Kurt stood on the outskirts, to begin with.  He was still a little skittish around the Seftons, even after all that had passed between them and how they'd come to accept him.  But Margali would have none of that, and gently beckoned him over.

It made him feel good, to be accepted.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you feeling better, Sarah?" inquired Ororo, stepping into the room.  To her surprise, Sarah was already up and active, her wounds completely gone, and she looked none the worse for wear.  She was being as stubborn as her sire.  That or the virus had already been beaten by her younger, stronger body.

"Much better," she replied, stretching out her limbs.  Testing herself.  "Any idea where Logan is?  I gotta say thank you before I'm out of here."

"You are leaving again?" she asked, setting her meal down on a nearby table.

"I… I should," she murmured.  "I mean… I still haven't gotten complete control of myself yet…"

"No one has complete control over themselves, Sarah," she stated with a warm smile.  "I understand that better than most.  I cannot count the number of times my nightmares have caused thunder storms.  But ask yourself this… do you think you could keep your emotions in check… at least, say… 90% of the time?"

"Well… its only really a problem when I sleep," she confessed.  It wasn't even her sleep that was such a problem… it was her nightmares.

"Then that will not change if you are out running away from your problems and creating new ones," remarked Ororo.  "You need to face it.  To confront your fears."

She pondered what he was saying.  It did make a great deal of sense.  "You want me to stay?"

"I only want you to do what you think is best," she said.  "Here is your dinner… if you'll forgive me I need to see to some other things," she added, stepping out of the room and leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts.

Sarah sat down on the bed, ignoring her meal for the moment.  Could she stay?  She had gotten better at… well, controlling her inborn rage.  But was it safe?  For that matter, did she want to?  Of course she did… but she was not the only one to take into account.  If she stayed they might get hurt.  Logan, Ororo, Scott, Jamie… all the people she cared about.

Then again, if she left… they'd seemed hurt to see her go.

"Oh what the hell," she said, grabbing up her dinner.  She stepped out of the room and rode the elevator upstairs, heading down to the women's hall.  To a particular room that had been left untouched since her departure, a long while ago.

Her room.

"I'm home."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alright children, it is very late and you are all still recuperating… therefore, bedtime," said Hank, clapping his hands together, getting the attentions of the mutants kids gathered 'round the television.  "Bobby, Tabitha… you two have an additional hour, then I want that television off and you two under the covers.  Do I make myself clear?  If not I'm sending Logan down to tuck you both in" he said, giving them a fangy smile.  They nodded.

Hank sighed, turning back and knuckling off to make sure Jubilee and Rahne didn't get into yet another pillow fight in the hallways.  Roberto was already long asleep, he typically retired shortly after the sun set.  He definitely wasn't a night person.  And Ray was busy working on his laptop in the dark, hoping Hank wouldn't notice.  He was going to ruin his eyes like that.

"Lord, what fools these mutants be," he said, paraphrasing a particular appropriate line, as he stumbled past a small line of Jamie's in their pajamas heading to the bathroom.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks again for seein' us at such a late hour, Professor," said Rogue.

"Indeed, very much in  your debt monseuir Xavier," said Remy with an overly exaggerated bow.

"Thank you, Mr. LeBeau.  I will handle the remainder of the paperwork tomorrow, leaving out the details you requested."

"Much obliged.  I ain't too worried though… no Ripper worth his knife will bother to try and storm this place.  I must say I haven't seen such a good security system… though… if I may?"

Xavier nodded.

"Needs some fine tuning… perhaps I could tinker a bit."

"Speak to Logan and Hank.  They handle that matter," replied Xavier, wheeling out of his office and closing the door behind him.  "Now if you two will excuse me, it is rather late, and I am in need of rest."

"Good night, Professor," said Rogue softly.

"Good night Rogue… Gambit," he said, wheeling off down the hallway.

"So tell me, Rogue…" he started to say, but a distinctive sound interrupted their conversation.

Snickt.

"Trouble, Monseuir Logan?" asked Remy, not bothering to turn around.

"Just one question I want answered, Cajun…"

"Logan, Remy said he isn't going to be stealin'…" said Rogue, trying to put herself between the two mutants.  Remy gently shouldered her aside, placing her behind him, to protect her.

"How old are you?"

The surprising question shocked both Rogue and Remy for a moment, before the latter managed to recall the appropriate answer.  "Twenty-three.  Far as I can tell, at least… little mix-up as to my real birthday," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Then just a word of warning.  I know you're gonna find my liquor stash.  Get your own, or I'll personally introduce you to the business end of my claws, got it bub?" he said, waving all three of his adamantium claws in front of Remy's face.

"Not a problem, monsieur… matter of fact, Remy thought this might be the case… so he brought a peace offerin'…" he stated, reaching under his robes and pulling out a bottle.  Red wine, good year.  Logan took it without so much as a thanks, walking off down the hallway.

Remy smirked.  It was gonna be fun livin' here.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Night settled over the city of Bayville, as its population, mutant and human, drifted off into the dream world.

Lance lay on his bed, head resting on the back of his arms, staring up at the ceiling.  He was a bit shook up, especially after Wanda had chewed him out earlier about nearly getting her killed.  But she'd forgiven him, and he was grateful.

"Lance… wake up…"

Lance's head snapped up in a second, and he gasped in surprise.  Sitting by the side of his bed, arms supporting her head, was his girlfriend Katherine Pryde.  He almost asked how she was able to get in, but realize he didn't need to.  She was Shadowcat, she could go anywhere.

"Kitty, what're you doing here?" he asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, still shocked she was here.  In the time they'd dated, she'd very rarely come over to the Boarding house, and even then it'd been by day.  Why was she here now?  Disobeying curfew and risking the wrath of Wolverine, no less?

"I couldn't sleep…" she said softly.

"Yeah, me either…"

"Lance… do you mind if I sleep with you?"

"WHAT?!" he all but shouted.

"Whoa, whoa, shhhh,…" she said, waving her hands.  "Not… not -that-!" she added with a blush.  "I… I just meant sleep… together.  Beside one another," she said, holding her hands in demonstration.  And Lance noticed that Kitty was in her sleeping pajamas already.  How could he say no?

"Oh… but, won't you get in trouble with the Professor?" he asked.

"I don't care," she whispered, slipping under the covers and holding him close.  "I need to be with you, right now…" she said.

And so Lance and Kitty snuggled up close together, the covers wrapped around them both.  They were both wearing their sleeping garb, their embrace was chaste and pure.  It was all either of them needed.  And so Kitty fell asleep to the sound of Lance's soft breathing.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although they did not realize it, Lance and Kitty were not the only ones still awake in the Brotherhood house at the time.  Wanda was outside, her crimson trench coat wrapped around her body to keep her warm.  The snow had melted, but it was still early February and the temperature outside was frigid.  But it mattered little… she enjoyed the cold.

"Sweetums?" came a voice behind her.  "You alright?  Wouldn't do much if you caught a cold out here alone, ya know."

"Toad… what brings you out here?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Can't let you come out here alone… some mutie hated might take it in his mind to bash your head in," he said, hopping over to her side.

"I pity the fool who thinks they can strike me down," said Wanda with a grin, blue energy crackling around her fingertips.

"Yeah but you can't always be aware of everything yo," he countered, hopping onto a tree and leaning on it sideways.  "Just… let me watch your back, okay?"

"Long as you don't watch any lower than that," she said with a smirk.

Then did something totally unexpected.

Wanda's hand shot out and grabbed Toad by the throat.  Surprised by her sudden angry movement, he struggled, but abruptly realized she wasn't holding him that hard.  He froze, watching her as she moved in close, with an eerie smiled on her lips.

"Toad… I'm told that those unconscious from the disease could hear everything said around them… is that true?"

"Uhm… yeah?" said Toad with a weak smile, sweating despite the cool air.

"Then you heard me…" she said, her grip weakening, then her hand dropping down to her side.  "You heard… everything."

"Wanda," he said, instantly getting her attention.  He rarely used her first name… he seemed to prefer his endless pet names.  "Listen.  I know I'm annoying but… I can change.  Please, give me a chance, maybe?" he said, giving a pitiful smile that would've melted even the iciest of hearts.  Wanda smiled back.

"Alright, a chance… but screw up and I swear I'll have Pyro roast me up some frog legs, understood?" she said, and Todd shivered, unsure if she was joking or serious.  Or even if he wanted to know.

"Sure."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mystique stretched out her limbs, sore and tired from disuse.  It was good to be well again, she decided.  Irene probably would agree with her, but she was napping at the moment.  Agatha had already left, after procuring the cure from some unwitting government agents and making sure both of her friends were well cared for.  She never did linger for long.  Something about the modern times didn't sit well with the ages old witch.

Mystique smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed, patting Irene on the head as the brown-haired woman slept.  Mystique's yellow eyes went to the window, and beyond them.  She wondered how they were.  Her children.  Kurt and Rogue and… well, she didn't care to think of that.

So the night wore on, and Mystique still lingered.  Afraid to go into the world, afraid to see them.  Afraid of rejection from those she loved most.

As she slept, Irene dreamed.  And another vision came to her.  She saw Raven's son, Kurt, and a human girl.  It was about ten years or so in the future.  They had changed a great deal.  And Rogue was there.  And… a baby.  A blue one.  And Raven was with them.  And they were happy.  A full, complete, happy family.

She would have to tell Raven in the morning.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Prisoner transfer is complete?" asked Fury.

"Completely.  All the mutants are in their individual cells again," replied Stone, walking alongside him.  They stopped by each cell, examining the prisoners contained therein.

Omega Red was first, of course.  The door to his cell was glass, filled with the cellular paralysis bio-fluids that kept the warrior of the Soviet Union asleep and manageable.  Juggernaut's cage had thus been freed up… though there had still been no sign of him.  Which was odd considering the man was at least twelve foot tall when he stood upright and wearing red battle armor.  Not exactly the sort of person who could blend in well.

Gauntlet's was next.  He didn't require all that much to keep him in line, just a thick steel door tended to do it.  He was under constant surveillance however.  He didn't become a tracker in Hydra because of his pretty face, that was for sure.  And no one was exactly sure of all the capabilities of that cybernetic eye of his.

The third cell, however, was empty.  The door was open, a faint hum could be heard.  And as Fury ran his gloved hand along the wall, he could tell what it was.  The walls themselves were pulsating.  Some sort of distinct hum that disrupted powerful neural transmissions.  He didn't completely understand it himself, science wasn't his strong point.  But he did understand the point.  It disrupted psionic powers.

"We've found nothing?"

"No sir… the whole base has been torn apart from top to bottom, but no sign of the tattooed freak.  He's long gone."

"Any ideas on how?" asked Fury, rolling the toothpick between his teeth.

"Well, based on where we found the unconscious guards, we think someone was coming in… so we think someone broke him out."

"No chance he did it himself?"

"I don't think so.  He didn't strike me as being very powerful on his own… relied on his powers too much, couldn't do anything without pawns.  So somebody broke him out."

"Any leads?"

"None.  Mesmero wasn't the sort who had many friends or allies… well, except Apocalypse," added Stone as an afterthought.

"That's certainly good news… but I don't want to think it was him," replied Fury.

"Why?"

"'Cause if it was, we're screwed.  Anyone else missing?  Viper, Deborah?"

"No sir.  Just Mesmero."

"Well… let's count our blessings, put out a manhunt… and hope things don't get serious."

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danielle smiled, lying her head back on the soft pillow, grateful to be able to sleep without coughs wracking her body.  It was such a welcome relief.  The dreamcatcher above her head would protect her sleep from bad dreams, so she could rest comfortably.

She sighed, thinking about her friend Kitty.  She hoped she was alright.  Maybe she'd have to pay a visit to the Xavier Institute sometime in the near future.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forge was up late, working in his lab.  He always worked late.  His parents went to bed earlier, old as they were, and he kept on working well into the night, as long as he was quiet.  He sometimes though perhaps his relationship with them was more like grandparent-grandchild than parent-child, but he didn't mind, and neither did they.  They were all just happy to be reunited after thirty years or so.

So it was that Forge fell asleep, still tinkering with his gamecube.  For all his genius, he still couldn't figure out how to make it do exactly what he wanted.  Ah well, that's what upgrades were for.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warren stretched out his wings, gliding through the night air, before landing gracefully on the rooftop of his winter home in New York City.  His Mom and Dad were still out roaming the world, so the man sometimes known as Angel did not feel a need to conceal his wings as he slid the door open and stepped inside, wrapping his feathered wings around his neck like a cloak to keep them from knocking something expensive over and breaking it.

It'd been a good day.  He'd helped a lot of people, distributing the cure and generally helping out, he thought as he slipped off his mask.  It felt good to be doing this again.  He didn't quite go for the divine act he'd adopted before, when people had really mistaken him for an angel.  He wanted to be honest with them.  So he told them up front he was a mutant.  There was shock, to be sure, but most people were still grateful for all he'd done.  Even the little girl he'd nearly killed because of Magneto's influence.  He'd flown alongside her home today, gliding past the window, and he was sure she'd waved to him.

It'd been a good day.

Maybe there was something to this living in peace ideal that Scott and Rogue had told him about.  Maybe he should give the X-Men a shot.  It certainly couldn't hurt.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dorion gave his mother an extra big hug as she tucked him in for the night.  He was so lucky to have such a caring mom like her.  Sighing, he drew the covers close and fell asleep, dreaming simply, child dreams.

His favorite, was where he wasn't a mutant.  Where he was normal.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the American northwest, some believed, there existed a legendary creature named Bigfoot.  Nonsense, or so many believed.  Not so these individuals.  Bigfooters all, obsessed to the point of zeal.  They'd seen Bigfoot once, thought it'd been quite a shock when he'd turned out to have had blue fur.  None of them had expected that.  Nor the swim trunks.

So it was that tonight they gathered 'round the campfire, exchanging stories about the time they'd last seen Bigfoot.  They still hoped to see him again, despite the absence of Professor Patronete and the two bounty hunters they'd brought along last time.  The former they missed, the latter they did not.  So it was that they spent most of the time getting good and drunk.

That is, until -he- showed up.

He must've been at least seven feet tall, all muscle.  He had dirty blonde hair and great huge fangs and thick dirty blonde fur and hair.  He growled like an animal, barely paying heed to any present as he walked over to their cooler and grabbed a beer, glancing over at them as if daring them to stop him.  Then he tore open the lid with his canines, drinking the beer and tossing the can aside, walking back into the shadowy wilderness.

"Wow…" said one, adjusting his glasses.

"Yeah, I know… think that was Bigfoot's cousin?"

"Maybe that was Bigfoot and the other thing we found was… something else."

"Damnit… camera's battery died on me," cursed a third guy, hitting his camcorder with his hand.  "Stupid thing didn't record anything."

This was followed by about an hour of cursing, followed by yet another of round of drinks and some cheesy campfire songs, followed by the bigfooters passing out.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In mother Russia, Piotr Rasputin gave thanks to the agents once more for giving him the much needed cure to his families contagion.  His sister was once again up and running freely through the fields as Piotr again began a day of work.  Simply, honest labor, to be sure, but he was more than content with it.  It beat battling super mutants and saving the world.  He'd take good, honest work any day.

Illyana skipped through the snow-covered fields, for Russia was still very cold this time of year.  Thus, both of the Rasputin's were heavily covered in many layers.  Still, the sun shone down on them, and Piotr believed the worst was truly behind them now.  He'd seen a war against Apocalypse, and a virus nearly wipe out humanity.  Two near ends of his beloved Earth were enough for him to see in his lifetime.  Surely no more would come.

How wrong he was.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex smiled, leaning back in his chair as he addressed the laptop.

"Hey bro… glad to see you're alright."

"You too.  How're things down in sunny Hawaii?"

"Sunny, with killer waves, as usual… and in borin' old Bayville?"

"Last time I checked it wasn't even close to boring," replied Scott with a smirk.  Another face joined his, and Alex recognized her as the pretty redheaded mutant he'd met before.  Jean Grey.  He also noticed how her hand touched Scott's, and how they exchanged one of -those- looks.

"Nice catch, bro," he said.  "Tell me, your girlfriend there got a sister?" he asked jokingly.  This was met with giggling from the redhead.

"As a matter of a fact she does… Jean…?" asked Scott, playing along.

"She's not your type, Alex."

"Yeah, guess you're right… no woman but the waves can claim Alex Summers!" he declared proudly.

And again, met by more laughter from all three involved.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat alone, in the back of a big shipping truck, heading west.  He didn't have any particular reason to go west, he just wanted to get away.  Away from New York, away from his brother.  Cain Marko needed some time to do some thinking.  Maybe he'd get out in the Rocky mountains.  It wasn't like the driver would complain.  Heck, he didn't even know he had a passenger.  Cain hadn't even broken a sweat when he'd broken the padlock between his fingers.

All too easy.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And around the world, humans and mutants again return to what passed for normalcy for them.  Disaster had narrowly been averted, and the world could continue on as it always had.  But the scars of what had happened in the past few days would linger on, and nobody would forget it.

**Author's Notes:**

That's a wrap people.  Now onward to my next story, 'Annihilation'!  Again, as with Remy joining the Institute, also putting Sarah back in things.  This is after 'Weapon X24', ending one.  So maybe I'll put her back after ending one, she stays, it works out like ending two.  Cool, huh?  Hope you enjoyed the various gathered mutants as I set things back to normal and set up little plot devices for my latter stories.  Remy's suggesting on improvements to the defense system was inspired by Eixid's work 'Here's to the Good Life' portraying the suave thief and his take on high-tech security.  And Lance and Kitty's sleeping beside each other was inspired by Sandoz's 'Rock your World'.  I have so many influences on my work.  Todd's and Wanda's was my own, however, based on how I feel they'll eventually relax into becoming good friends.  If not more… I'm still not sure what to make of them.  Mystique and Irene you could read either as good friends or something more too.  Me, personally?  I agree with Comet-hime, they're lesbians.  But that's me.  We know Mystique isn't completely into girls.  At least, hasn't always been.  Irene's dream was a glimpse into the future from 'Blue Christmas.'  Mesmero's escape is another foreshadowing I've decided to throw in to keep everyone guessing about my upcoming works.  As is Warren's thoughts of joining the X-Men.  Sabertooth's run in with the bigfooters?  Inspired by his nickname in 'Grim Reminder.'  I thought, what if he ran into the bigfooters instead of Beast?  Probably a lot more bloodshed.  And of course little one-shots of most of the other mutants.  Well, I am off to take a break to let my muse go on vacation, then I come back with Annihilation.  You cannot stop me or my stories!  I will do what Evo could not!  Even better than a fifth season!

DoubleL27: Well I do my best.  And though I don't like Scott-Jean or Rogue-Remy, I confess that they do make sense, that's probably why I write them well.  That and my seething hatred for them has diminished since recent episodes.  Hellfire?  Never heard of 'em… who are they?

Todd fan: Hehehe, I'm surprised you liked that but its all good.  And of course, the Brotherhood needs Pyro.  He'll make Quicksilver look calm and mild-mannered in comparison.  Chess pieces?  What're you talking about?

Nessie6: Actually I had plans for Tabby/Amara, but decided to downplay it considerably for my more sensitive audience.  I'm glad it was well accepted.  And I'm rather pleased on my maneuvering Pyro into the Brotherhood.  He was an original member in the comics, after all.

Risty: What is this Hellfire club I keep hearing about?  Details people, details.  Strewth?  What's that?  And yeah, I put Rahne in, playin' frisbee with good ol' country boy Samuel.  Those two look so cute together.  Wiccan, yeah… Comet-hime inspired that.  For religious diversity.  Same as when I made Jubilee a Buddhist.

Rogue14: Oh I have my evil moments still.  Well, that's it, so now you gotta wait for Annihilation to come out before you can read any more of my work.  Glad you've enjoyed the story.

Comet-hime: A soul?  Kewl.  I can add it to my collection.  Glad you liked the frisbee seen with Sam and Rahne.  I have plans for those two, believe you me.  Also glad you liked the mysterious end.  You'll love when you find out who/what they are.  I'll get it out as soon as possible, promise.

Elrohirthewriter: Ah Starbucks.  Now that's evil.  And yes, definently stone and rippling of the pond.  Now that Evo's over all my stories will be slowly building like that.  Hence the inclusion of some foreshadowing.  Funny you mentioned the Raven/Irene.  You're psychic, aren't you?

Sandoz: Does that satisfy you, you twisted little Lancitty shipper?!  You inspired it, so I hope it damn well does.  Yeah, it was just a technical death.  Heart stopped and all.  That red-headed bitch will get hers soon enough, believe you me.  As for the creepy evil shadowy figures, send me an IM.  I'd rather not spoil too much for you with an e-mail by accident.


End file.
